Saturday, September 18, 2010

2012 strategy in the works?

By Biketi Kikechi

The far-reaching effects of the new Constitution have started dawning on politicians as the implementation of the new set of laws picks up speed.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga appeared to let his strategy out when he sought to unite the two dominant Nyanza Province communities ahead of 2012.

Raila, while wooing the Gusii and throw their support behind his presidential bid, said: "We have to unite first as Nyanza before seeking support at national level. We have the numbers as per the census results to jumpstart our quest to form the next government".



Raila,Ruto, Kalonzo

And Higher Education minister William Ruto shared the same platform with Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka in the Rift Valley, where he said his political career was still intact in spite of the Referendum outcome.

And former President Moi reiterated his position that he campaigned against the new Constitution because it had many shortcomings.

Saying he had good reasons for the decision he took, Moi said events would soon prove him right as to why he chose to say ‘No’ during the polls.

He said Kenyans should brace themselves for difficult times yet to be brought by the passage of the new Constitution.

Kalonzo, who has consistently been keen to win over the vote-rich Rift Valley Province, urged Kenyans to remain united in spite of the Referendum outcome.

He said there was no room for divisive politics as Kenya had started a new era and all Kenyans should forge ahead united.

All-Inclusive process

"This is the time to deliver to Kenyans what the new Constitution stipulates and not to discuss how we voted in the last referendum," said Ruto.

He, however, said the implementation process should be taken seriously in an all-inclusive process because the country cannot be developed through "guess work or trial and error’.

The new Constitution says a candidate can only be declared to have won the Presidency upon receiving more than half of all votes cast in an election.

But the second caveat, which requires candidates to get at least 25 per cent of votes cast in each of more than half of the Counties, could have motivated Raila to woo the Kisii vote. Census results released last month put the population of the Luo community at 4,044,440 while that of the Kisii stood at 2,205,669, making a total of over 6.2 million.

This means that no other candidate would manage to raise the 25 per cent threshold should the Luo and Kisii voters cast their ballots as a block for Raila.

But things may be difficult for the Prime Minister should other presidential candidates also apply a similar strategy to lock him out of their regions apart from Nairobi, which has traditionally been a free for all.

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