Raila’s pledge to support Gov’t development agenda a move in right direction
Azimio One Kenya coalition Raila Odinga
By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- In the subsequent poll, the court was split. Though majority of the judges ruled in his favor, they would not explicitly rule that the poll had been rigged. Instead, their decision was based on what they termed as ‘gross’ illegalities and irregularities.
- Raila however shocked Kenyans and world when he declined to participate in repeat poll. The questions that came to mind were. Did he sense the defeat? Again, did he really love Kenya? Remember the commission spent billions of shillings in the preparations of the repeat poll.
- The billions could have been used to do something more useful like helping to boost youth and women enterprises and this would help our economy to grow.
A few days ago, I listened to the remarks attributed to Azimio One Kenya coalition Raila Odinga. I was delighted to hear him calling on his supporters to back the development agenda of President Wiliam Ruto’s administration. This marked a major shift from the hard line stances he had adopted since Dr Ruto took the instruments of power.
It all started when he skipped the swearing-in ceremony of the new President and his deputy at Kasarani International Sports Center. This is not the first time Raila would turn his back to an event that had drawn the attention of all Kenyans and in international community.
In aftermath of general elections held in 2013 and 2017 respectively, he declined to attend the swearing-in of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto. In trying to justify the move, he alleged that the electoral commission had bungled the presidential elections.
But the Supreme Court would not agree with him. In 2013, his petition was thrown out due to lack of sufficient evidence that meet the threshold.
In the subsequent poll, the court was split. Though majority of the judges ruled in his favor, they would not explicitly rule that the poll had been rigged. Instead, their decision was based on what they termed as ‘gross’ illegalities and irregularities.
Raila however shocked Kenyans and world when he declined to participate in repeat poll. The questions that came to mind were. Did he sense the defeat? Again, did he really love Kenya? Remember the commission spent billions of shillings in the preparations of the repeat poll.
The billions could have been used to do something more useful like helping to boost youth and women enterprises and this would help our economy to grow.
As a political analyst, I have been interacting with many Kenyans and this would be the take of most of them. ODM leader Raila Odinga is the only person who poses a threat to Dr Ruto’s presidency. The rest in opposition are underdogs and no one takes them seriously. So, Raila’s latest change of heart is welcome, Ruto’s supporters would aver.
Raila spoke a day before his running mate Ms Martha Karua announced that she had filed petition at the East Africa Court of Justice [EAC-CJ].
In the petition, she pleads with the court to overturn the decision of the chairman of the Electoral Commission of Kenya, who declared Dr Ruto as the President-elect, and the Supreme Court of Kenya ruling that upheld his victory. She alleges that the presidential election had been bungled and hence Ruto ‘did not win’.
I disagree with her for two main reasons. First, she did not have faith in our public institutions. This contradicted her earlier statements that Kenya is not a banana republic but rather a sovereign state whose democracy is anchored on the constitution and rule of law.
Secondly, you would not expect this court to entertain hearsay, rumors and political propaganda. I’m saying this because she failed to prove the grounds she cited in the main petition she had jointly filed with Raila before the Supreme Court of Kenya.
Thirdly, it is in relation to whether the EAC-CJ has a jurisdiction to hear this case. Many believe it doesn’t?
As envisaged in the constitution of the EAC community, the court is not allowed to interfere with sensitive matters of internal affairs of a member state.
For this reason, it seems Martha Karua is engaging in a populist stunt which is of no benefit to Kenyans. She however hopes that she can use this card to reclaim her dwindling political career and re-brand herself as a fire-breathing opposition leader.
Get me right here. I have no problem with her pushing the agenda of the opposition and trying to fit in the shoes of Raila if that is what is in her mind. She, however, resorted to using a wrong strategy.
Well, many people recall she had promised to file a petition against President Ruto at EAC-CJ. So, the message here was clear. I’m a leader who keeps my words. But for me, I would have expected her to swallow pride and admit she had made a big error in making that announcement. If not, avoid commenting about this matter. If she did this, she could have earned more trust and confidence from Kenyans.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and a political analyst based in Nairobi
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