The Mt Kenya Times 
Azimio La Umoja-OKA party leader Raila Odinga
By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- He has been lamenting that members of parliament have been bought and compromised by President Ruto.
- The law scholars and legal experts aver that there is not short-cut. The signatures will finally be submitted to the House. The house will be at liberty to verify these signatures and give a way forward. Would Raila expect the MPs endorse the signatures? Again, does the two issues he had raised constitute gross misconduct? If he won the elections, how would he have addressed the two issues?
- It is worth to note this is not the first time that Raila is collecting signatures. These initiatives would turn out to be a ploy. None of them would bear fruits.
I watched with a keen interest how the political protests called by the opposition during this year’s Saba Saba day unfolded.
The Azimio La Umoja-OKA party leader Raila Odinga, who addressed the planned Kamukunji rally, lived up to his threat of launching the campaigns of resistance and civil disobedience.
It was a day marked by chaos and running battles between the police and protestors.
This rekindled the memories of July 7, 1990 when the heavily armed police unleashed terror on the protesters leaving 30 of them dead. But this did not stop the clamor for multiparty democracy.
One year later, then President Daniel Arap Moi succumbed to the mounting pressure and allowed the re-introduction of political pluralism.
Moi had declared Kenya a dejure one party state after he survived a coup in 1982 organized by Kenya Airforce.
However, in this year’s Saba Saba day, the police restrained themselves and only a few cases of use of excessive force were reported.
The Azimio leader whose anti-President William Ruto campaign is pegged on two grievances of the high cost of living and ‘punitive’ taxes took this opportunity to launch signatures collection drive.
He said Azimio targeting 10 million signatures which ‘we will use to remove Ruto from power’.
However, Article 145 of the Constitution which spelt out the grounds for the impeachment of the President does not have a clause for signatures’ collection.
The President can only be removed from office due to gross misconduct which includes violating the international laws.
A member of Parliament is the one entitled to draft the motion, table and present to parliament. This member ought to enjoy the support of a third of members of the house.
After the debate, the MPs vote is taken. The impeachment would sail through if backed by a two-thirds of the members.
Speaker will forward this report to his or her Senate counterpart within two days.
The Senate will form a 11-member committee to peruse and interrogate the grounds cited and thereafter submit thier report to the plenary of the whole Senate.
After the debate, the vote at the Senate will be taken. If the two-thirds of members vote in support, it would mean the President has been impeached.
But in justifying why Azimio had resorted to collection of the signatures, Raila cited Article 1 of the constitution. The provisions state that the sovereign power belongs to the people.
So we want the people of Kenya to drive and take full charge of this process.
But wait a minute. How does Raila expect to have his way?
He has been lamenting that members of parliament have been bought and compromised by President Ruto.
The law scholars and legal experts aver that there is not short-cut. The signatures will finally be submitted to the House. The house will be at liberty to verify these signatures and give a way forward. Would Raila expect the MPs endorse the signatures? Again, does the two issues he had raised constitute gross misconduct? If he won the elections, how would he have addressed the two issues?
It is worth to note this is not the first time that Raila is collecting signatures. These initiatives would turn out to be a ploy. None of them would bear fruits.
Reason? For Raila, this would not come from the bottom of his heart. Instead, it will be a political card to force the government of the day to cave in to his demands that were majorly anchored on pursuing his selfish and personal interest.
This card worked very well during the reign of President Mwai Kibaki and his successor Uhuru Kenyatta. He used it to fight his way to occupy his seat at the high table in the government where national cake was being shared.
This time the going is tough. This is because President William Ruto had repeatedly told him to forget the ‘nusu mkate’ (a half loaf government).
Tinga, this is a bad habit that you developed. I’m determined to bring it to an end. You lost the elections, stick to your lane as an opposition leader.
Dr Ruto would further assert. My position is unformed by the fact that I’m a true democrat who believe in running a government anchored on competitive and people-driven processes.
The success of this is hinged on having a vibrant and robust opposition.
During the burial of the freedom fighter Mama Mukami Kimathi, President William Ruto stated. Hon Raila Odinga is here with us. I know him very well. I know why he is holding the demonstrations and where they will end. Did this reaffirm the widely held position Raila was out to push for his personal and selfish interest?
After the burial, Raila shared the same podium with Dr Ruto at Nyayo Stadium and Kasarani Sports Center. The duo was seen engaging each other in friendly chats.
During the commemoration of Saba Saba day, I observed that Azimio had changed the tack. As he led the anti-Ruto protests in Nairobi, Raila was only accompanied by one member of his brigade-former Muranga governor Mwangi wa Iria.
The rest were in thier respective Home County where they led similar protests.
This is unlike in the past when they jointly held demonstrations here in Nairobi.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who was in Kithiani Machakos County, was quoted as saying. In last elections, President Ruto defeated our candidate Raila Odinga with a slim margin of 60,000 votes.
This explains why our country is divided down the middle. So this is our message to Ruto. Stop chest thumping that you cannot talk with us.
If you truly believe in reconciling and healing this country, we expect you to open the room for negotiations.
ODM Deputy Party Leader Wycliffe Oparanya, Root party leader Wajackoyah and DAP leader Eugene Wamalwa were in Kakamega.
The latter stated. We know our leader Raila Odinga won the elections of last year. Here we have started the journey of reclaiming Baba’s seat. We want Raila to take up his seat at State House so that he can bring down the high cost of living.
Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, who was in Kirinyaga, made similar sentiments.
Will the Azimio change of tack make a difference? It is too early to give a conclusive answer. Let us wait and see.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and political analyst based in Nairobi
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