What Kosgey’s return means for Raila and ODM

By VINCENT BARTOO and VITALIS KIMUTAI
High Court clears Tinderet MP Henry Kosgey of all charges just like The Hague did, making it possible for him to return to Cabinet.

This is what forced him to step aside and it was also the likely barrier stopping the Orange Democratic Movement chairman from being groomed as Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s running mate.

This, were it to happen, would be Raila’s appreciation of the fact that Kosgey is one of ODM’s senior-most politicians, who has stuck with him despite his earlier travails with The Hague, even as Eldoret North MP Ruto walked away with some Rift Valley MPs. 

Kosgey’s moment of joy, with luck striking twice this year, now means another headache for Raila as he looks for a replacement for Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi in Local Government ministry, and filling the Tinderet MP’s Industrialisation portfolio.

Sources in ODM said Kosgey would indeed make a return to the Cabinet in a high profile portfolio, after being absolved of charges related to illegal clearance of imported second hand cars.

“To regain his influence in the vote- rich Rift Valley Province, Raila needs an influential ally in the region, and that is why Kosgey would likely be moved to the Ministry of Local Government,” predicted an MP from Nyanza.

The ODM chairman told The Standard he was looking forward to exciting times again in his public service, and expressed optimism the coalition principals would reinstate him.

Bigger things
“Yes, I look forward to the ministerial flag so I can continue with the good work I had begun in the docket assigned to me, though that is the exclusive discretion of the President and the PM,” he said.

Talk in ODM circles also suggest that Kosgey could also be headed for bigger things because he is among those being mentioned as possible running mate for Raila.

His return to the Cabinet is certainly assured because those earlier cleared either by court or investigative bodies – like Cabinet ministers Amos Kimunya and Moses Wetangula, and Assistant minister Wilfred Machage – were reinstated once found innocent.

Kosgey recently launched a bid to become Raila’s running mate, giving indication he was back.  “Now that I have put the (ICC) case behind me, I am optimistic that I would be cleared of the other one so that I can offer my leadership in these positions,” he said during a fundraising meeting in Eldoret South two weeks ago.

Speaking to The Standard, Kosgey said the two cases were political having been instigated by “some forces in Government”.

“After the events that followed the last elections, I have been targeted by some forces owing to my position as ODM chairman,” he said.

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