Jubilee, CORD plot to influence CoG elections

Outgoing Council of Governors (CoG) chairman Isaac Ruto. He  is ineligible to contest again having served the legal two-term limit. (FILE PHOTO/ STANDARD)

The Government and Opposition are scheming to influence the outcome of elections for leadership of the Council of Governors (CoG) scheduled for Thursday.

The new leaders of the governors’ forum will take over at a defining moment when county chiefs are pressing for a referendum to increase the allocation to counties. And should they also successfully serve for two terms, they will be in office during the 2017 General Election.

Intense lobbying is underway to replace Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, the current chairman who is ineligible to contest again having served the legal two-term limit throughout which he kept pressure on the Jubilee government over its perceived reluctance to support devolution.

Two other positions up for grabs are the whip and council vice-chairman held by Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka and Kwale’s Salim Mvurya respectively.

The Standard has established the frontrunners for the chairmanship of the CoG are governors Peter Munya (Meru) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega).

Others whose names have featured in the contest are Mvurya, who is completing his first term and might opt to defend his position as vice chair although he is being fronted to take over as chairman, Ahmed Abdullahi Mohammed (Wajir) and Evans Kidero (Nairobi).

Instructively, only Munya is from the ruling Jubilee alliance as the other contestants are from the opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD).

The polls are in compliance with the law that requires the incumbents only serve for a maximum of two years, but have generated interest because of the clout and influence of the governors’ forum in national politics.

Under Ruto’s leadership, the governors have had fierce power feuds with the national government and Parliament with the abrasive Ruto leading the crusade in defence of devolution.

It is because of his role as chairman of the governors’ forum that Ruto has found himself in trouble with the Government, with President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto accusing him of rocking the Jubilee boat.

His recent meeting with CORD leader Raila Odinga and suggestions the governors and Opposition are working to merge their twin referendum bids have heightened political activity.

The Standard has established that Munya is being seen as favourite to succeed Ruto given his equally abrasive character. But Munya’s naming in the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) list is seen in some quarters as undermining his candidature.

“If proper lobbying is done, Oparanya is likely to be the next chairman. Munya could suffer the tag of corruption, since he was named in the anti-corruption list of shame, although he makes a powerful chairman,” said a governor, who declined to be named.

More complicated is the fact that Governor Ruto, who has been fearless and firm in defending devolution in his capacity as chair of CoG, legally cannot contest.

This is the more reason the Government and CORD are secretly campaigning for their preferred candidate for the May 21 elections.

Governor Mohammed, who is also the council’s Finance Committee chairman, affirmed that his name has been proposed, but explained that the process is through consensus and therefore it will be up to his colleagues to decide on the next chair.

The Standard has established that plans are afloat by the national government to influence the outcome of the election of the next council chairman, to get a governor sympathetic to Jubilee’s agenda.

The CoG is the key organ that represents the 47 governors, and is provided for in Section 19 of the Intergovernmental Relations Act.

Ruto has led governors in demanding for their rights in the new dispensation, including the push for the ‘Pesa Mashinani’ referendum initiative to ensure more resources and functions are devolved to counties.