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Uhuru declares his support for Kibaki

Written by Open Thread

Sunday, 16 September 2007

Anyang' Nyong'o and Raila Odinga's disappointment at Uhuru Kenyatta's declaration of support for President Kibaki's re-election bid is clear to see, even as they claim that they knew it was coming.

Still, it stands out as something of a shameful political first that the man charged with leading the campaign against the government as Leader of the Official Opposition, a constitutional position of equal status to a Cabinet position, would abdicate that duty and seek instead to lend his support to the government.

Uhuru's decision has clearly not come easy. He has been for the better part of the last two years or so, closely aligned with the ODM-K group, and has only recently given up on it. This he did despite vociferous protests from his political godfather former President Moi.

What then has inspired Uhuru's decision? Did the pressure from Moi finally pay off? Or was it the intransigence of ODM regarding the idea of corporate membership? Is his refusal to have his party swallowed up, preferring instead loose ad hoc alliances prescient and a precursor of more mature coalition politics? Is this also the inspiration behind his insistence that his party has positions on which it wishes to negotiate an understanding prior to the election? Is there anything to be made of the consistency of Uhuru's position? He did after all make exactly these protestations when sections of his party wanted to surrender themselves into the old ODM-K grouping.

Or is this just another turn at the wheel of tribal politics, with the Gatundu South MP merely bowing to public opinion and a desire to stay alive in his political backyard?

KANU boss Uhuru to back Kibaki

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written by Stephen Wanyama , September 16, 2007

ODM is Raila Odinga, and the Mhe. from Langata does not make for a good room-mate. But that is merely the proverbial straw. More important than anything else is Uhuru's admitted knowledge that he cannot win in 2007. All he would do is take the place of Kibaki in the 1992 election, split the GEMA vote and shoo Raila into State House, an action for which he will pay for the rest of his life.

As a member of one of the 300 political parties ( and a former Presidential candidate and Leader of the Official Opposition), his GEMA origin and loyalty to Kibaki and the status quo will promote him to pole position if we have an incomplete Kibaki term, or then in 2012.

This is the real struggle of 2007 in Central Kenya, who is going to take over from Kibaki. Is it a two-horse race between Uhuru and Saitoti? Does Uhuru have any personal allies, or are all his men allies of his family and Moi's.

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written by Gichangi , September 16, 2007

It would be really unfair to expect Uhuru to ally himself to ODM simply because ODM thinks itself the champion of the people. Quite clearly there is no way ODM would accomodate him in its line-up, and any position bar the Presidential Candidature would be a demotion. This is why KANU under Uhuru was/ is adamanat about corporate membership, and retaining its ability to put forward candidates at the General Election.

Remember the sistuation Nyachae found himself in after the Tosha cry? Just think where would Uhuru and co go after suffering a similar embarassment and having their party dead?

If Gatundu people do not want him, Uhuru can come and stand in Nakuru.

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inspired? Uhuru?
written by Churchill Kinyua\'imata , September 17, 2007

I can only add the following observation.

During our short-lived experiment with democracy starting circa 2003 the office of the official opposition has been brought into total disrepute. The end result is this latest ridiculous decision.

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opportunity lost
written by Tim Norwood , September 17, 2007

Without a doubt Uhuru's tenure as the Leader of the Official Opposition has been a lesson in failed opportunities. The chances provided by the fallout in the NARC coalition, the quest for a new constitution and the corruption scandals are all opportunities he would have seized on to raise his national profile and prove himself a worthy candidate for the Presidency.

That said, there are a few issues on which Uhuru is setting an example, even if not a perfect one.
The first is his frank admission that he is with Kibaki purely because Kibaki will win. For all those Kenyans who agree that there is little difference between ODM and the PNU, this is refreshing and a departure from the Manichean 'good' vs. 'evil' jabber of the majority of politicians.

Uhuru must also be given credit for his selection of perhaps Kenya's best collection of minds in is front-benches. A line-up that reflected despite appearances there are intelligent minds in parliament.

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Wisdom
written by Barrack Okal , September 17, 2007

Uhuru has just given up his role as leader of official opposition to new leader of official opposition "Kibaki" who is now bound to become the leader of official opposition come January 2008, thanks to Uhuru for tossing your position off to the actual individual come January, it is called "WISDOM"

The sad thing is that we do not want multiparty democracy to die, With the likes of Uhuru it would been dead probably Kibaki might do a better job. I can't help laughing and imagining that the US democratic Party would choose to join Republican government and wound up ati because the economy has increased by 6%.

Sad for Kenya but good for Kibaki's new role. (Leader of official Opposition.

If Uhuru was indeed in opposition he should have played his role instead of abdicating it Knowing that he cannot win in 2007. All he would have had to do is to do same thing as Kibaki did in the 1992 election, split the GEMA vote and shoo Raila into State House, Kibaki was working for Moi to go back as president.

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Professor of Law and Attorney-
written by Prof. Kobangoshe , September 20, 2007

There is a school of political thought, albeit a mistaken one, that sees fault in Uhuru's publically declared forfeiture of his presidential bid, and in the stead, support the incumbent's bid for the assignment in the next parliament.

Technically, there is nothing illegal about it under the Laws of Kenya. The official leader of the opposition in the 9th Parliament, has not in effect vacated his responsibilities nor obligation under to the 9th Parliament. What he has done, is basically to state where his support will be directed to come the general elections that will usher in the 10th Parliament. The fact that on his own volition, he has opted for one party where he feels comfortable and not the others where he would be uncomfortable is no issue at all.

ODM leadership, i.e. pentagon should therefore be under no illusion that Uhuru's game plan is illegal. After all, no one single ODM leader is in reality still in their sponsoring party under the 9th Parliament, neither is any of the ODM-K leaders nor the NARC-K leaders. Th only politician who has remained steadyfast in the sponsoring NARC party, as it were is Hon. Ngilu, and the president and they both stand to be commended for their political maturity.

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