Kenya: Race gets hotter

By Peter Opiyo

International Criminal Court decision to commit four Kenyans, among them two presidential aspirants, to full trial has intensified political activity and forced parties to review their strategies.

It started with series of peace-cum-prayer rallies, with heavy political overtones, by Eldoret North MP

William Ruto and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta last weekend, in Eldoret and Thika towns. Featuring in their rallies are the other two prominent members of the so-called G7-Alliance – Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa.

Both leaders, who are set to host Ruto and Uhuru in their political bases this weekend, say they are also in the race for State House, and want one man stopped from reaching there ahead of them – Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

They are not the only ones in action as the race for State House gets hotter, with the election date though not known, but is probably just months away. Mr Musalia Mudavadi, Raila’s deputy in Government where he shares rank with Uhuru, and Orange Democratic Movement, too, has been on the campaign trail.

Political path

Talk is rife he is considered a good compromise candidate by Uhuru and Ruto should ICC make it difficulty for them to run. But at the same time they see him as too fixated with ODM and Raila that he may not buy their idea.

And so as the plot thickens, one man who has been out of the country, and who is the target of the gathering forces, is back and he, too, has planned a series of rallies – to counter the gains his opponents could have made against him after the ICC ruling. That man is Raila, against whom Mudavadi is raising the stakes in ODM, and on whose political path Uhuru, Ruto, Kalonzo and Wamalwa, though arguing they are all in the race, have decided to put up as many barriers as possible to puncture his momentum.

From the intensity of political activity it is clear the politicians have decided to go flat out for the prize: Taking over from Kibaki, Kenya’s third President, who is preparing to leave State House at the expiry of his term.

Raila returned to the country late last week from a two-week tour that took him to Gabon, South Sudan, and Davos, Switzerland. ODM on Tuesday released a programme that shows Raila would have a countrywide tour to popularise his party, and reinforce the fact he may have been under attack while away, but he is ready for the big fight, which first has to be fought and won in ODM.

ODM has been keenly monitoring political events following the confirmation of charges against former Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura, Kass FM’s head of operations Joshua arap Sang, Uhuru, and Ruto.

Over 70 MPs attended two meetings hosted by Ruto and Uhuru in Eldoret and Thika last week. The same group is expected at Kinoru Stadium on Wednesday, before moving to Machakos, and Kitale.

In Meru, Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi would host Uhuru and Ruto, while in Kitale, their host would be Wamalwa.

The Standard