THE POLITICAL SCENE IN KENYA1

THE POLITICAL SCENE IN KENYA
  After the disputed 2007 December elections, all eyes are now focused on the coming 2012/2013 General Elections. At the moment, the political scene in the country is encountered by several coalitions trying to find out their way to state house in a race to succeed president Mwai Kibaki. As each coalition tries to put its house in order, Kenyans are left wondering and with tough decisions to make as compared to the year 2007 election. Infact , the politicians are involved in making tough decisions at the moment,  that may either influence their future political ambitions either positively or negatively as they might either lose ground or gain ground as their supporters may decide to rally behind them or not. However as they are involved in these decisions, some of them have rushed to make wrong choices, just to be precise and mention Deputy Prime Minister,  Mr. Musalia Mudavadi ,of the United Democratic Forum(UDF).

At the moment, we are aware of three coalitions that is: the JUBILEE, CORD and the PAMBAZUKO coalition alliances. Taking a look at each alliance, the key principles in each alliance are from different parties and therefore it’s absolutely true to say that the parties in each alliance have similar policies. The JUBILEE coalition is made up of the likes of the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta of The National Alliance (TNA), Hon William Ruto of the United Republican Party (URP) who both are ICC suspects and Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Musalia Mudavadi, of the United Democratic Forum (UDF). This has led to the coalition to be termed as a ‘coalition of suspects.’. Mr. Uhuru and Mr. Ruto who are at the moment facing cases of humanity related to the 2007 POST-ELECTION skirmishes at The Hague, Netherlands court are the founders of the coalition. They have been accused of being tribal in their coalition and therefore, they sought to look for Mr Mudavadi of the UDF so as to give the coalition a national outlook


Mr. Mudavadi, who left Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) due to claims that the nomination was not fair, formed UDF and has at the moment joined the JUBILEE alliance that at the moment is facing nomination crisis. Even after the clause on direct nomination for the party leader to be endorsed as the flag bearer was amended by the ODM Election Board, Mr. Mudavadi still found it fit to quit the party citing discontentment with the party top organs. True to what has been said, the latter, had been offered some fake promise (that I refer to as a ‘fake promise’ since it has never been fulfilled), to walk out of the party so as to divide the western votes. I believe that for the latter to cite discontentment with the party top organs, this could have been used as a scape goat to walk out of the party so as to pursue his own selfish ambitions.

Mr. Mudavadi who was to battle it out with Mr. Uhuru for the coalition flag bearer’s  position seem to take a twist on the issue as the TNA and the URP side advocate for a delegate system, where the delegates are called to vote so as to choose the flag bearer. On the other hand Mr. Mudavadi advocates for a Consensus Method that is not readily welcomed by the two other principals. It is very ironical that Mr. Mudavadi who once advocated for the delegates system in ODM, Is now against it, and now advocates for the consensus method that he was against. I strongly tend to believe that the latter is in a political dilemma as his option is not advocated for by the two other principals but whichever way, there are reasons why he advocates for the other method. I strongly tend to believe so. It has been noted that Mr. Mudavadi opposes this since he has ‘GHOST Delegates’ and this has seen him come to the limelight about two days ago, 19^th Dec 2012, to openly say that Mr. Uhuru had promised to relinquish his presidential ambitions and support him incase he joined the JUBILEE ALLIANCE, a promise I want to say was merely used to lure Mudavadi to join the alliance so as to give the alliance a national outlook that I strongly want to disapprove. I tend to say that the latter was blindfolded and was in haste to make the decision but however they had to be the ‘dark forces’ that pulled him there as Uhuru always talks of the power of these ‘Dark forces’.

A lot said about Mudavadi, Mr. William Samoei Ruto, also a key principal in the alliance, has opted for the delegates system probably because he is aware that his post is well preserved for him as the deputy to the person who will be chosen as the flag bearer. Ruto, who also walked out of the ODM, has been tainted the name a ‘REBEL’. since we all know that birds of the same feather flock together, Mr. Ruto  is said to have walked out because of the Hague issue so as to join and to flock together with  Uhuru who is also a Hague suspect. After his walk out from ODM, we have always seen him accuse the Premier of advocating for The Hague while he is the one who wrote to The Hague as the Premier and other ODM members advocated for the Local Tribunal that he said could not offer justice to the suspects.

Mr Ruto who has recently joined in the formation of the JUBILEE ALLIANCE walked out of ODM to a party known as United Democratic Movement (UDM) then later to United Republican Party (URP). I tend to believe that if they form the next government, he will be the first to walk out of the Government.

There is a lot to say about Uhuru Kenyatta who is in the race to succeed president Kibaki. The quest of Uhuru leading the nation has been met with mixed reaction both in the nation and outside the nation as he is facing humanity crimes at The Hague based court in Netherlands and is expected to resume the hearings on April just after the elections. The western nations are keenly watching Kenya and have spoken through their ambassadors to  Kenya saying that incase we elect the ICC suspects to rule over the nation, then we are bound to face several problems as they\ are going to withdraw their  support to the nation. However this has been denied by Uhuru and Ruto who are vying for\r the post of t come the March General Elections. It is a critical decision since if both are elected to rule then we are left to wonder what will happen if the president and deputy president will be out at attending to the hearing. We are left to question them if they will run the nation from outside. Mr Ruto has been caught up with most of the time saying that the two will rule the nation however much they will be attending the hearings. I tend to believe that they think that if elected, they will escape the hearings but I want to tell the two that they are deceived.

Some of our leaders are political sycophants. Look at Mr. Uhuru. He is said to have promised Mudavadi the coalition flag bearer and his party a portion of the Government but at the moment, he has turned down the offer and now demands for a nomination. If truly these are the leaders we are going to elect, then even the policies they are trying to sell at the moment are ghost/ false policies.

Much said about JUBILEE COALITION. I also have a say on Water Minister, Hon Charity Kaluki Ngilu. The name correctly states that she is a charitable lady. I think she gives even her political ambitions on charity and that’s why she weavers from one coalition to another. I tend to think that this lady, referred to as ‘mama Rainbow, is locked up in a political demagogue and that’s why, she is short of decision making.

As the JUBILEE ALLIANCE suffers several setbacks in the political field, I tend to believe that the CORD ALLIANCE is rejoicing on the political euphoria that they have embraced as they are having an established political leadership with the three principles with right leadership credentials that is: His Excellency The Right Honourable Prime Minister, Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Party(ODM), His Excellency The Vice President of the Wiper Democratic Party (WDP) , Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka and the Trade Minister Honourable Moses Wetangula of the Ford Kenya (FORD K). THE CORD ALLIANCE is yet to name their flag bearer tomorrow Saturday 22^nd December 2012 at Uhuru Park, a meeting that is yet  to change the political scene as they unveil their leaders. It is truly a rally to be watched and the reactions of the citizens towards it. Just the previous day, Thursday 20^th December 2012 as the Friends Of Raila (FORA) Vice Chairperson, Mr. Joash Mbulika, was receiving some UDF officials from Kakamega branch who decamped to ODM, the officials cited that they were not happy with the JUBILLEE ALLIANCE and so they saw it possible to join ODM $ CORD so as to be Part of the next Government. I don’t know whether they are on the right way or not but I now see what the Sports Minister honourable Ababu Namwamba said, that the ODM$ CORD are gaining grounds in western province as a true statement.

The PAMBAZUKO ALLIANCE is made up of honourable Eugene Wamalwa and Cyrus Jirongo who are also busy forming a third force to succeed President Kibaki. However recently, we have seen Wamalwa promise to support Mudavadi incase he wins the nominations that I think wont be.

However even as the race to succeed Kibaki gains momentum, there are some politicians who have decided to go it alone, the likes of honourable Martha Karua and Honourable Ole Kiyiapi.

                         By

 Morris Cerullo

         ©21-12-2012