The Mt Kenya Times 
President William Ruto and Azimio La Umoja One Kenya leader Raila Odinga
By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- In previous negotiations, the hardliners had been identified as the biggest threat. They would always throw the spanners in the work and this will happen mostly when the talks were at advanced stage and the light is being at the end of tunnel.
- My article bore this title ‘Ruto, Raila should sidestep hardliners, hold Dialogue’. I’m happy to this came pass.
- Prior to the statements issued separately by the two leaders during which they agreed to cede hardline stances, the top confidants and allies were digging in making tough and fiery comments and remarks.
- For those in the ruling Kenya Kwanza government, they would reiterate.
A few days before President William Ruto and Azimio La Umoja One Kenya leader Raila Odinga agreed to climb down, I wrote in this column that the country was going in wrong direction. I was however optimistic this will not take long. The President will use his wisdom and return the country back to normalcy and stability.
Apart from being a God fearing man, Dr Ruto had learnt big lessons from the post-elections violence witnessed in the aftermath of 2007 and 2017 General Elections.
In the former, he was one of the key negotiators in the mediation talks chaired by the former UN secretary general Koffi Annan.
Later, as the second-in-command, he was privy to the plan mooted by President Uhuru Kenyatta to reach out to his political nemesis Raila Odinga and the subsequent negotiations that culminated to the formation of the ‘handshake’ government.
In previous negotiations, the hardliners had been identified as the biggest threat. They would always throw the spanners in the work and this will happen mostly when the talks were at advanced stage and the light is being at the end of tunnel.
My article bore this title ‘Ruto, Raila should sidestep hardliners, hold Dialogue’. I’m happy to this came pass.
Prior to the statements issued separately by the two leaders during which they agreed to cede hardline stances, the top confidants and allies were digging in making tough and fiery comments and remarks.
For those in the ruling Kenya Kwanza government, they would reiterate.
His Excellency/ Mr President, don’t waste time talking with this mzee (old man). We defeated him at the ballot. So, there is nothing to negotiate with him.
He is an opposition leader. He should stick to his role or go home.
Regarding the loss of lives and destruction of public properties during the demonstrations and protests organized by Raila, they would tell the head of state. Don’t cave in to blackmail and intimidation of the old man.
You are not Kibaki or Uhuru whom he succeeded to arm-twist. Use the power conferred on you by the constitution to deal with him. He is not above the law.
Raila brigade, on the other hand, would tell him. The only language that Dr Ruto can hear is that of the demonstrations. As our leader, you have presented your demands to him. He had turned deaf ear. So, don’t climb down.
One of the key demand is that he should open the IEBC servers. Here, we totally agree with you Baba. You ‘won’ elections and ‘dossier’ presented to you by a ‘whistle blower’ can attest to this.
It is worth to note that the hardliners do not rely on facts. Much of what they say amount propaganda, half-truth and outright lies.
They knew majority of their supporters are ignorant and lacked civic education and so that is what they would want to hear.
For the hardliners, this is the time of rebuilding their dwindling political careers and for others enhancing political popularity and fame.
This explains why they turn deaf ear to their actions while noting they designed to divide, polarise and plunge the country into anarchy.
We know that when things go wrong, the buck stops with the president.
While extending an olive branch to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, President Ruto noted. I’m ready and committed to listen to the issues raised by my brother Raila Odinga and his brigade.
But in his statement, one thing was very clear. He fully understands terms of engagements and negotiations and are hinged on the spirit of give and take.
You only focus and comment about the issues (demands) that can be implemented within the law.
So, of the demands raised by Raila, Dr Ruto only zeroed on two: Review of the composition of seven member panel set to recruit the IEBC commissioners; addressing the high cost of living.
The president never commented about other issues including opening of IEBC servers and reinstating ‘Cherera four’, the commissioners who had resigned.
Again, the president took a different approach from his predecessors.
He said a bipartisan parliamentary process will address the issues in contention.
Here, the point was clear. His engagement with the opposition leaders will only focus on matters within the law that will help to transform and better the lives of our people. No ‘nusu mkate’ and ‘handshake’ governments.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and political analyst based in Nairobi
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