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In her opening remarks, she said,

"Your Excellency the President, the Hon. Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Your Excellency the Vice President...."

Then she paused, took it all back, asked that she be forgiven for forgetting the order of precedence and then went on to name the VP before the Prime Minister. Interesting, no? These are after all supposed to be scripted remarks.

Karua's statement is significant coming at a time when Uhuru Kenyatta's career is likely to be facing a pause with the coming tribunal and the threat of the Hague. The PrimMinister also, for all the bravado on display could also find himself accused before such a tribunal, indeed before the Hague, this is nairobi rumours are anything to go by. The ODM rebellion promises to make for compelling viewing.

Later in the same day of course, the Vice President came under fire from the likes of Gitobu Imanyara who lament that he has overtaken the Prime Minister and relegated him to a bit player status.

The media have been playing on this (where the power lies) for a while now, the Sunday Nation had this bit about the National Accord and how Kibaki pledged himself to governing through the set channels, with no kitchen cabinets or advisory councils outside of government. Those who know say this has led to head of Civil Service Muthaura becoming the real power in Kenya, which I would say is as it should be.

Today's Standard also has a story, one announcing that Raila has also eschewed his traditional kitchen cabinet, and that he now prefers to work directly with the President and in consultation with a new pentagon, Chris Obur, Henry Kosgey, Dalmas Otieno, James Orengo and Fred Gumo. This spin does not however explain the protests from his allies (including supposed inside man Orengo) that the Langata MP is being left out cold and that real power lies at the Cabinet Office.

This tussle plays out in all manner of strange ways. it is interesting to see which MPs get invited to which meetings, and who invites Kalonzo (who is operating now as a minister without portfolio) and who gets to invite the Prime Minister. Serena williams for example was in town, and in Ukambani, No Kalonzo, no Ngilu, but she did meet with the Prime minister, or was supposed to.