UHURU DECIDES ON OPEN FIGHT WITH RAILA

DEPUTY Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta has made a conscious change of strategy in favour of a hardball approach to Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

He has decided to stop appearing as a humble politician in public in favour of open aggression against Raila, according to interviews with close political associates, sociologists and political analysts.

Uhuru has openly expressed his anger in strong language and gestures since Speaker Kenneth Marende's ruling last Thursday rejecting President Kibaki's top four constitutional office nominations.

During a rally on Sunday in Wangige, Uhuru was abrasive, insinuating that the ODM side was taking advantage of President Kibaki. Mareciria ati Kibaki ni kihii kiao? Ndari meciria make makuuga uria areenda? Alichaguliwa akiwa Rais, anajua kile anafanya (They think that Kibaki is their uncircumcised boy? That he does not have his own head to make his own decisions? He was elected when he was already President and he knows what he is doing)," stated Uhuru at the rally.

Uhuru dismissed claims that Kibaki was influenced by the six people named by International Criminal Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo in making his selection for the positions of Chief Justice, Attorney General, Director of Prosecutions and Director of the Budget. "Kudanganyana mchana. Ati wale wanapelekwa Hague ati ndio wanainfluence Kibaki afanye . . . (They are lying in broad daylight that those picked by Ocampo have influenced Kibaki to select the nominees). Is Hague their mother's? We will go there and defend ourselves," stated Uhuru.

Following the Speaker's ruling on Thursday, Uhuru banged the table at a press conference in Parliament Buildings as he opposed Marende’s verdict. “Does it mean that if Raila does not say it, this country cannot move forward? This is unacceptable,” Uhuru declared.

Two weeks ago, he was on Kameme FM, which broadcasts in Kikuyu, where he launched a scathing attack on the PM. According to Uhuru's allies Nithi MP Kareke Mbiuki and former MPs David Murathe and Justin Muturi, the Gatundu South MP has declared war on Raila.

Yesterday Uhuru’s spokesman Munyori Buku said the Deputy Prime Minister has opted to play real politics. “There comes a time when one has to remove the gloves and fight just like the other side (ODM) has been doing,” Buku said.

Buku said his boss will not sit and watch dishonest people mislead the country on important issues like the Kibaki nominations. Mbiuki said that the battle between Uhuru and Raila is yet to reach its peak. “The time of gentlemen is long gone. Now we have started hard politics. We will go any mile to complete the journey. We are marshalling all our efforts and energy to ensure we win this war," stated Mbiuki.

Key Uhuru strategists Murathe and Muturi said that the Finance Minister must demonstrate that he is no pushover. “The worst thing is for a politician to be perceived as a weakling. He must come out and change that perception,” Muturi said. “Uhuru must demonstrate to his people that he is a real Njamba (brave man) by taking on the PM,” the former Siakago MP added.

On Uhuru’s bitter remarks at the Wangige rally, Murathe said the son of Jomo Kenyatta is only human. “Even Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was provoked until he beat up people in the church. What about Uhuru who is only human?” said Murathe. “Why didn’t you question ODM people who were banging tables when they claimed that the elections had been stolen?” asked the former Gatanga MP.

Muturi defended Uhuru sentiments saying all politicians employ such tactics. “These theatrics are there in politics and they are not any different from Raila’s rhetoric and riddles,” said Muturi.

According to Ken Ouko, a sociology lecturer at the University of Nairobi, “Uhuru has found himself acting irrationally due to pressure of facing The Hague and having his political career come to a grinding halt.”

The Finance minister is also under pressure to assert himself as the undisputed Kikuyu leader who can defend his people. “Max Weber said that leadership is all about influence and appeal. In the event that one lacks both, he resorts to coercion,” argued Ouko. “Unfortunately coercion does not work in a democracy, that will be Uhuru’s greatest undoing.”

Two weeks ago Kibaki nominated Alnashir Visram as Chief Justice, Prof Githu Muigai as Attorney General, Kioko Kilukumi as Director of Public Prosecutions and William Kirwa as Controller of the Budget.

Kibaki claimed that Raila was properly consulted as per the constitution. But the ODM, AG Amos Wako, Chief Justice Evan Gicheru, the Judicial Service Commission, and numerous other state agencies and officials have asserted that the nomination process was unconstitutional.

Uhuru is one of six prominent persons that Moreno Ocampo has asked the ICC to summon to the Hague answer charges of crimes against humanity.

The PNU believe that Raila's rejection of Kibaki's nominees is a strategy to frustrate the creation of a local tribunal and thwart efforts to have the cases against the Ocampo Six deferred for one year.