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The handshake has long been a cornerstone of Kenya’s political landscape, symbolizing an agreement between political factions to share power instead of resorting to conflict. This tradition, deeply rooted in the country’s history, was originally a strategic tool employed by the British colonial powers to maintain control by co-opting local leaders and providing them with power and material benefits, effectively subverting national sovereignty.

The legacy of this gesture began at the inception of colonial rule, as the British consolidated their authority by forming alliances with chiefs and other influential figures. This practice included the infamous 1963 handshake between the British and Jomo Kenyatta, which was a pivotal moment leading up to Kenya’s independence. Kenyatta, who had been accused and imprisoned for leading the Mau Mau uprising, struck a deal with the British to ensure a smooth transition of power, agreeing to allow them to retain control over stolen land.
<>p>Even after independence, the handshake continued to be used as a method to manage power struggles among the elite and quell public dissent. It allowed deals to be made quietly, often undermining the very causes it purported to resolve. For example, the 2008 handshake between opposition leader Raila Odinga and President Mwai Kibaki, which halted post-election violence, was also seen as a means to cement a power-sharing arrangement that further entrenched a corrupt regime.

Raila Odinga remains one of the most notable figures associated with this tradition, having negotiated numerous power-sharing agreements with Kenya’s past four presidents, a strategy that has been argued to serve his personal political goals rather than the public interest. Despite never officially winning a presidential election, he has managed to exert significant influence within the political system through these behind-the-scenes negotiations.

The most recent iteration of the handshake came in the form of an agreement between Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement and President William

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/3/21/kenyas-handshake-politics-elite-self-preservation-disguised-as-compromise?traffic_source=rss