Why it doesn't look like we are about to have elections

It is 22 days to the October 26 repeat presidential elections. Yet, it doesn’t really feel like it's election time – at least not in Kenya’s political standards.

Only Jubilee is campaigning. Its rival, NASA, is busy making demands on how the elections should be conducted. The little said about these selfish demands by NASA the better.

From the outset, the 2017 electoral cycle was highly anticipated. For five years, the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), NASA’s predecessor, has been spoiling for a fight.

It wanted revenge for what it has always termed as its stolen victory in 2013. And they made sure to remind their supporters and anyone who cared to listen that they were robbed of victory.

In fact they remained restless right from 2013, keeping the country in perpetual campaign mode for five years. Remember the botched Okoa Kenya referendum? The call for national dialogue?

The deadly protests to push out the then Independent Boundaries and Electoral Commission (IEBC)?

The Opposition’s plate was indeed full, but all the issues they dealt with were just about elections and deliberately seeking ways to stop the Government from focusing on serving Kenyans.

Sheer will power

It’s a miracle that President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto managed to transform the country the way they did with all the noise and sideshows from the Opposition.

On paper, NASA leader Raila Odinga went into the August 8 elections stronger than in 2013.

He had Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula. He also enticed the feisty Isaac Ruto.

He thought he had assembled an unbeatable team. However, things did not pan out as he had planned. And this largely explains Raila’s current frustration.

You see, this is his last stab at the presidency, and he has admitted so himself. At 72, age is catching up with him and if he loses on October 26, he will have no choice but to hang his boots.

Even after the Supreme Court invalidated Uhuru’s win, Raila does not seem to invest much time campaigning. He knows only a miracle can overturn Jubilee’s formidable numbers.

Twenty-eight governor seats. Twenty-seven elected senators. One hundred and sixty-seven elected Members of the National Assembly.

With the lion’s share of nomination slots, Jubilee has absolute control of both Houses of Parliament, plus the crucial Council of Governors. What else does one need to know who won the election?

The Supreme Court has given Raila another stab at the elusive seat, for which he has vied and lost three times.

But he has refused to make use of this golden chance. He has just reduced himself to fighting anything and anyone he perceives to be a stumbling block on his path to State House.

Defeatist attitude

Raila’s behaviour and attitude towards the repeat elections portray a man visibly deflated and who already knows how gloomy his prospects are.

He is like a boxer pitted against what he knows is a much stronger competitor.

All he does is to talk tough outside the ring. That is why he is not willing to hit the road and campaign. Why waste time and resources for an impending defeat?

The massive loss NASA suffered in the elections should have provided them with some hard lessons.

And after the Supreme Court ruling, they should have moved with speed to mend their ways. But rather than consolidate his support base, venture into the so-called swing counties and at least attempt to make inroads into Jubilee territory, Raila is calling them to the streets to demonstrate against IEBC.

The IEBC has shown that it is committed to correct the mistakes encountered on August 8. It has called NASA to the dialogue table to keep them abreast of what it is doing to seal the loopholes.

But Raila and his team are hearing none of it. Raila should however know that this impasse cannot continue forever.

Soon he will have very limited options as the pressure from all corners to ensure the repeat election is held mounts.

The international community has already categorically stated that it backs the electoral commission’s efforts to right the wrongs. Jubilee has said it is satisfied with the ongoing electoral changes.

If Raila has given up, he should come out and say so.  Why waste Kenyans’ time with endless schemes that serve only to push the country to the brink? The country needs to move on.

Ms Wayua is a Communication consultant