Ruto’s Wish On The Creation Of Office Of The Opposition Leader Receives A Major Boost
The Mt Kenya Times 
President William Ruto
By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- Speaking in Meru a week earlier, Dr Ruto reiterated that he had no doubt that this would be one of the key recommendations. This resonates well with the wishes of the majority of Kenyans who were rooting for a vibrant and robust opposition.
- He spoke after attending an Interdenominational church service.
- For starters, the National Dialogue Committee had been established through a resolution passed by the National Assembly and Senate.
- One of the clauses in the agreement states that the final recommendations shall be submitted to the two houses for further scrutiny and debate.
- This means the two houses will have the power to amend, alter or reject some of the recommendations.
The latest media reports have indicated that the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) co-chaired by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah have reached a consensus on a number of the issues listed on the agenda.
The recommendations are solely informed by the views and memoranda submitted by the people Kenya during the public hearings.
One of the issues agreed upon is the creation of the Office of Leader of Opposition.
During the deliberations at the Bomas of Kenya, the 10-member committee with the help of technical committees had categorized the issues into two groups: Contested and non-contested. The creation of this office fell in the category of the latter.
This showed that President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga were reading the same script. The development sharply contradicted the narrative of those opposed to the ongoing bipartisan talks.
This comes hot on the heels of the recent opinion poll released by the Trends and Insights for Africa (Tifa).
The survey showed that the majority of Kenyans supported the proposal by President William Ruto on creation of Office of Opposition Leader.
This would leave no doubt that they rightly viewed President Ruto as a true democrat and statesman.
Speaking in Meru a week earlier, Dr Ruto reiterated that he had no doubt that this would be one of the key recommendations. This resonates well with the wishes of the majority of Kenyans who were rooting for a vibrant and robust opposition.
He spoke after attending an Interdenominational church service.
For starters, the National Dialogue Committee had been established through a resolution passed by the National Assembly and Senate.
One of the clauses in the agreement states that the final recommendations shall be submitted to the two houses for further scrutiny and debate.
This means the two houses will have the power to amend, alter or reject some of the recommendations.
Constitutionally speaking, parliament is a law making body.
During the demonstrations, Azimio leader Raila Odinga wanted Kenyans to believe that the MPs cannot be trusted to lead the talks. He would allege that this was because they were fighting for thier own stomach.
He would mainly target those who belonged to his Azimio Coalition who changed the tune by opting to work closely with President William Ruto.
The position of these MPs would be clear. We are doing this for the sake of the people who elected us. They have been telling us the time of politics is over. They want us to roll out the development projects we promised them during the campaigns.
In our context, the government of the day plays a leading role when it comes to sharing of the public resources.
The President is the CEO of this great Nation. So you can only ignore him at your own peril.
This however should not be misconstrued to mean that the President had compromised and silenced us.
As people’s representatives, we have a duty to articulate the interests of the electorates without fear.
One of our assignments is to take on and correct the President and his administration when they go wrong. We are committed to this course.
Besides, Raila’s turnaround would amount to self-indicting and incriminating.
As we know, he had played a key role in clearing these people to run for thier respective parliamentary seats and other elective positions on Azimio tickets. Does it mean he gave his supporters the wrong choices? If yes, then it means he is an enemy of the people. You never believed in the course that you wanted them to believe in.
Well, I have been having a chat with a section of Kenyans and they would tell me that this was a just a political card.
If Raila won the elections, he could have done the same thing. This is by reaching out and rallying 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.
The previous administrations feared and were opposed to formation of a strong and vibrant opposition.
At a time, the government resorted to using crude and cruel means to counter and weaken the outfits.
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 believe in thier 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.
If created, Raila will automatically occupy the office of opposition. This is because he trailed Dr Ruto and bagged the second highest number of votes.
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.
Raila’s association with the outgoing President had been identified as his Achilles heel.
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?
It is time he should accept the people’s verdict.
There is always another day and chance. Try your luck in 2027. Put God first in all this.
The Good Lord is the one who blesses and anoints leaders.
Seek comfort in the Verses that saw David being anointed as a King of Israel.
This happened before his mother carried him in her womb.
David had been abandoned and despised by his siblings and his father.
Dr Ruto suffered the same fate. He had been abandoned by the outgoing President and his top state officials.
Raila, you were the root cause of this.
This is listed as another reason why you lost. If you dig a hole, the person you are targeting will not fall in it. It is you who will fall in it.
I have also heard that your father and doyen of opposition politics Jaramogi Oginga Odinga had cursed you that you will never be the President of Kenya.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and political analyst based in Nairobi
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