Contrary To His Critics, Ruto Want NADCO Report To Be Implemented In Full

By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga

Worth Noting:

• Azimio’s threat comes just a few days after members of parliament (MPs) concluded the debate on National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report and overwhelmingly adopted it.
• As required by the law enacted to spearhead the process, the report was submitted to the Senate for concurrence.
• This means new Bills capturing the proposals presented during the public hearings held at the Bomas of Kenya were being drafted. The courts have now stopped parliament from subjecting the chapters being contested to debate or any vote.
• If non-contested clauses sailed through, the law requires the Speakers of the two houses to submit the Bills to the President for assent.

I have heard the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition leaders led by Wiper leader Kalonzo threatening to resume street demonstrations.

They allege that President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza government is out to mutilate the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report and eventually sabotage its full implementation.

We demand that they should stop this game. The NADCO report belongs to Kenyans and we want it to be implemented in full.

If they fail to heed our call, we will be left with only one option: To call our supporters to the streets to express their reservations, Kalonzo and DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa reiterated.

To me, the threat had been made in bad faith.

We know the popularity of the two leaders had been dwindling down since their defacto leader Raila Odinga took a low political profile to concentrate on campaign for Africa Union (AU) Commission chairmanship.

So, the duo was out to seek cheap political sympathy and relevance.

We know President Ruto has been in fore front of pushing for the implementation of NADCO report in full.

As a lawyer and senior counsel, Kalonzo knows that the President have no power to interfere with matters before the courts.

For starters, it is courts that have suspended the implementation of the two chapters of NADCO report. This is until the cases filed are heard and determined.

Taking cognizant of the fact that Kenya is a country governed by rule of law and the constitution, one would expect Azimio leaders to file appeals to counter orders issued by courts.

Azimio’s threat comes just a few days after members of parliament (MPs) concluded the debate on National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report and overwhelmingly adopted it.

As required by the law enacted to spearhead the process, the report was submitted to the Senate for concurrence.

This means new Bills capturing the proposals presented during the public hearings held at the Bomas of Kenya were being drafted. The courts have now stopped parliament from subjecting the chapters being contested to debate or any vote.

If non-contested clauses sailed through, the law requires the Speakers of the two houses to submit the Bills to the President for assent.

When the committee released the final NADCO report, the President immediately endorsed it.

He rightly noted that we are a country governed by the constitution and so we welcome the NADCO report.

The ball now moves to parliament and expect members of parliament to expedite this process.

As your president, my wish is to see MPs adopting his report in full.

As a writer and a political analyst, I wrote an article in this column soon after President Ruto endorsed the report. I argued.

During a Sunday service at Priesthood church in Kahawa West, Nairobi, President William Ruto expressed gratitude to the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) co-chaired by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Majority leader Kimani Ichungwah for completing their job and presenting the final report.

I have read the report I want to say this. I totally agree with the recommendations.

As you know, the 10-member committee was set up to address the issues raised by other side. We are now reading from the same page.

So, having this report is a key milestone in fostering peace and unity of our country.

The recommendations will now be tabled on the floor of Parliament and senate for debate and adoption. This is in line with one of the clauses contained in an agreement unanimously passed by the two houses. It is worth noting the motion for establishing the bipartisan talks team had received massive support.

Thereafter, the two Captains-President William Ruto and Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Raila Odinga-did not raise any objections. The duo immediately endorsed it.

Therefore, President Ruto’s decision to support the final report did not come as a surprise.

He had all along supported this process.

But as it turns out, the opinion is divided. I have been following with keen interest mixed reactions that the final report continues to elicit. This is good and healthy for our democracy. It shows that our democracy is maturing.

I would not expect Parliament to let down the President whose vision and mission is clear.

His main focus is to build a united and peace full Kenya and rid the country burden of foreign debts.

At Priesthood Church in Kahawa West, he was therefore happy to note that one of the recommendations in NADCO final report stated. The monies allocated for the local and foreign travels of the government officials should be cut by 50 percent and 30 percent respectively. For 50 pc cut, i have already done that.

For 30pc, I have no problem. I wish they could have pegged it at 50pc.

Notably, the recommendations had been informed by the views and memoranda submitted by the people of Kenya during the public hearings.

One of the issues agreed upon is the creation of the Office of Leader of Opposition. This is another key recommendation.

The bipartisan talks were being held at Bomas of Kenya. The opinion of the polls conducted by Trends and Insights for Africa (Tifa) had shown that majority of Kenyans supported the proposal by President William Ruto on creation of this Office.

Constitutionally speaking, parliament is a law making body.

If Raila won the elections, I’m sure sure he could have lured members of Dr Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) to support his development agenda inside and outside parliament.

In Meru, President Ruto reiterated that the opposition’s role is critical in terms of providing checks and balances on the government of the day.

We know some of the issues they raise were in good faith. So we will not hesitate to do the right thing.

It is worth noting Dr Ruto started rooting for a system of governance anchored on tenets of democracy and constitutionalism long before he become the President.

This is the first time in Kenya’s history that the sitting head of state is rooting for the creation of the Office of Opposition Leader.

President Ruto is rooting for the opposition that engages the government in a structured constructive and honest dialogue.

I remember a powerful speech he made at Chatham House in the United Kingdom (UK) in the countdown to the 2022 General Election.

He told his attentive audience who comprised political leaders, diplomats, scholars and professionals drawn from all parts of the world that he totally detested the system that was being embraced back home in Kenya.

As you are aware, the ‘handshake’ government of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his partner Raila Odinga was at the helm of power.

He described it as a mongrel kind of thing. This system lacked consistent, direction and focus. It is an animal that one cannot understand.

This system has caused a lot confusion and stagnated the progress and wellbeing of our people.

In a functioning democracy, the government and opposition are supposed to operate as distinct entities.

If I win the elections and become the President, I want to assure Kenyans that I will strive to provide leadership on this matter.

Initially Raila and his brigade had resorted to throwing the spanners in the work by holding bloody and destructive demonstrations. He never wanted Ruto to succeed. He had previously used the same card to intimidate and blackmail presidents Daniel Arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta.

He hoped this card will work even this time. The strategy flopped because Dr Ruto stood his ground.

Besides, majority of Kenyans also realized that Raila was taking them for a ride. He did not believe in their course. He was just using them in pursuit of his selfish and personal gains.

Raila’s endgame was to force President Ruto to share the rulling Kenya Kwanza government with him.

Dr Ruto remained firm telling Raila. I defeated you at the ballot. Accept the bitter truth that you lost and move on.

For now, your role is very clear. As an opposition leader, you job is to criticize my government.

Many Kenyans believe Raila was yet to accept the outcome of 2022 presidential election results because of one main reason.

He never thought he can lose because for the first time the outgoing President, the deep state and system was fully backing his candidature.

He however forgot this. Dr Ruto, his main competitor was on the other hand enjoying God’s favor and support of the majority of Kenyans.

We know that Kenyatta’s victories in both 2013 and 2017 were attributed to the popular support he had received from his strongholds of the Mount Kenya and Rift Valley regions.

He had already lost the two blocs and the voters were now rallying behind Ruto.

Dr Ruto had also raided and penetrated Raila Odinga’s strongholds and he had managed to sway a huge chunk of votes to his side.

With this, where did Raila expect to get votes?

Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and political analyst based in Nairobi