Grandstanding in Ruto, Raila camps could put week-old truce in jeopardy

President William Ruto, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. [PCS]

The olive branch extended by President William Ruto to Azimio leader Raila Odinga seems to have withered and replaced by grandstanding and war of words that threaten the week-old political truce.

At stake too are the bipartisan talks between the ruling Kenya Kwanza Alliance and Azimio la Umoja, which are seen as the panacea for street protests that left a trail of death and destruction.

President Ruto and Raila appear to be reading from different scripts with each standing their ground.

During an Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Parliamentary Group and Governors meeting in Machakos on Thursday, Raila issued fresh demand for proper review of the Constitution to cure what he termed monopoly of power bestowed by the current Constitution.

"We are driven by the concern that inspite of the 2010 Constitution, our political culture retains a winner-take-all system. This is what has clearly been demonstrated by the UDA regime. This monopoly of power, by hook or crook, by the party in State House can only be rectified with a thoughtful deliberative process involving all Kenyans," said Raila.

"We need a proper constitutional review to cure governance defects in the 2010 Constitution and remove the last vestiges of an imperial presidency. In our dialogue with Kenya Kwanza, we will be putting this matter on the table," he added.

The Azimio leader is determined to hold the talks outside Parliament akin to the negotiations that led to the 2008 National Accord spearheaded by former UN Secretary General Koffi Anan.

And in a show of commitment to the pending bipartisan talks, Azimio has picked Senators Ledama ole Kina (Narok), Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), Enoch Wambua (Kitui) and MPs David Pkosing (Pokot South), Otiende Amollo (Rarieda), Millie Odhiambo (Suba North), and Amina Mnyanzi (Malindi) to meet the Kenya Kwanza team.

Kenya Kwanza is scheduled to pick it team on Tuesday next week, several days after the lapse of the seven-day deadline Raila had fixed when he accepted to hold talks and suspended mass protests a week ago. The members will be expected to voice Azimio's demands in the joint ad-hoc committee, which include conducting a forensic review of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) servers and reviewing the process of appointing and dismissing IEBC commissioners.

The talks, according to Azimio, must recommend legal policies to strengthen Kenya's electoral system that would guarantee free and fair elections and have disloyal MPs quitting their seats in order to seek fresh election.

They will also be expected to advocate for the initiation of legislation to address the electoral, governance and economic gaps identified during the inquiry for consideration by the Houses as appropriate. The joint ad hoc committee shall present its report to Parliament within 30 days of its establishment.

Failure to implement these demands, Raila said, Azimio would not hesitate to mobilise Kenyans to demand their rights within the framework of Article 37 of the Constitution.

"Kenya Kwanza implored us to give dialogue a chance. In this context, we agreed to call off the protests. We reserve our right to call for demonstrations should this process not bear fruit," he stated.

The Azimio declaration was however at odds with an earlier pronouncement by President Ruto who rejected calls by Raila for talks mirroring the 2008 National Accord.

Ruto has declared he will not be a party to such arrangement as selfish talks for politicians ended after last year's elections.

He pronounced himself on Thursday during a whirlwind tour of Kwale, Nyandarua, and Nakuru during which he unveiled several development projects.

Ruto reiterated that the country has no time to engage in protests organised by Raila and the Azimio coalition. "We can't continue discussing leaders. It is time to make plans for Kenyans. I urge the opposition to stop pursuing selfish interests," said Ruto.

"We can't again go back to planning about leadership and protests in Nairobi. Even if we protest from the morning, with sufurias on our heads and backs, the cost of food won't come down. It can only be brought if we work on the farms. I don't know who will teach them," said Ruto.

"Let us walk together on the development path. Azimio has not heard. It is the development and not protests," said the President.

"Let us stop disturbing our people. You as leaders, let us meet in Parliament and discuss leadership issues there. There is no point in destroying people's businesses and causing chaos," he added.

"Leave alone getting votes, these people will even lack agents in 2027," Ruto said.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is convinced that that most Kenyans are opposed to any attempt for a political handshake.

"These people Mr President are happy you spoke with Raila. They are however not ready for you to engage in any form of a handshake. That is not my position, but that of the voters - our bosses," said Gachagua.

"They are threatening to go back to protests. The roads are still there. They are causing damage to people's property. We are sending a warning to them. Nobody's property will be destroyed while Ruto is the President," said Gachagua.

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