Raila’s Claims of Dr Ruto Plotting To Form A ‘William Ruto Electoral Commission’ Were Misplaced, Made In Bad Faith

By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga

Worth Noting:

• It also interesting to note that Raila want Kenya to revert to 1997 Inter-Party Parliament Group (IPPG) model which empowered political parties to nominate the electoral commissioners.
• We recall that his running mate Martha Karua was key architecture of the model and she worked closely with Total Man, cabinet minister Nicholas Kipyator Biwott.
• At the time, they (opposition leaders) thought this was a magic and master card that will help them wrestle power from then- President Daniel at the ballot but it did not work.
• After losing the election to Moi, they immediately started crying foul.
• Of course, they no longer trusted the IPPG reforms simply because they did not help them to realize their dream.

I have been following with keen interest the ongoing war of words pitting President William Ruto and Azimio La Umoja-One Coalition leader Raila Odinga which is touching on the process of the recruitment of the seven members of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)-chairman and six commissioners.

Raila claims that the president has ‘hijacked’ the process and he is hell-bent on forming a ‘William Ruto Commission’ that will help him to ‘rig 2027 polls”.

In trying to justify his claims, he alleges that the seven-member selection panel is comprised of Ruto’s loyalists and yes-men and women. This process must stop.

He has listed this as one of the demands that he wants Ruto to address. If not, he has vowed to press on with his countrywide mass action drive.

This will culminate to massive mass procession that will be held in Nairobi on March 20.

To me, Raila is not genuine on this matter. So far, he has not laid down a strong and convincing argument and evidence to support his claims that Dr Ruto has hijacked the process.

We know Raila is yet to come to terms with the devastating loss he suffered in hands of Dr Ruto at the ballot. He thought the ‘Deep State’ and ‘System’ will help him to grab power by whichever means. This did not work.

It also interesting to note that Raila want Kenya to revert to 1997 Inter-Party Parliament Group (IPPG) model which empowered political parties to nominate the electoral commissioners.

 We recall that his running mate Martha Karua was key architecture of the model and she worked closely with Total Man, cabinet minister Nicholas Kipyator Biwott. 

At the time, they (opposition leaders) thought this was a magic and master card that will help them wrestle power from then- President Daniel at the ballot but it did not work.

After losing the election to Moi, they immediately started crying foul.

Of course, they no longer trusted the IPPG reforms simply because they did not help them to realize their dream.

This opened a new political battle front that culminated to the amendments and enactment of a new set of election laws. 

Since then, five general elections have been held and Raila Odinga has run for presidency in all of them.

26 years later, he wants us to go back to the IPPG model. Who is fooling who here?

Though Raila is roaring to have his way, President Ruto is on the hand digging in.

 Last Sunday while addressing an interdenominational and thanksgiving prayer meeting in Tharaka Nithi, the President reiterated that we are not going to allow anyone to take us back.

The process of recruiting the new IEBC chairman and commissioners has kicked off and will continue as planned.

 I don’t hold brief for the President but I fully concurred with him.

He had not broken the constitution or any other law.

The law required the seven members of selection panel to be nominated and endorsed by the following multi-sectoral bodies: Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) (2), Religious leaders (2), Law Society of Kenya( LSK) (1),  Political Parties Liaison Committee (PPLC) (1) and Public Service Commission (PSC) (1).

The President further stated. As per the law, once I receive the names, the only thing I’m supposed to do is to gazette them. I have done that.

So, I don’t understand the genesis of noises I’m hearing.

 I have no time for them. My focus right now to return our economy back on track. I’m determined to do this by mainly supporting the Agricultural sector.

A group of Githurai residents where I reside told me the other day. It seems that Martha Karua is behind the push to revert to IPPG. We know she was one of the key brains behind it.

We know that Raila is now desperate and full of bitterness. He had unsuccessfully contested the presidency for five times and the age has now caught up with him.

So, he can perch on any tree and IPPG seems to be one of them. He has roped to support it. 

To me, the models cannot guarantee you victory. Kenyans are the ones who make the final word at the ballot.

 So, Raila should spend much of his energy and time in selling his agenda to them. That is if he is planning to run for sixth time in 2027.

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