Saturday, October 13, 2012

Uhuru, Ruto plot to shake up ‘G7’


By Stephen Makabila?and Mwaniki Munuhe
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka’s political future with Mr Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr William Ruto looks bleak as support weakens for proposals to back the VP as a “compromise candidate” should the two fail to vie for the presidency.
Hidden political interests and a high level of mistrust in the on-and-off G7 alliance are making political alliances a mirage. There is now talk of a scheme by Deputy PM Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto to sideline both Kalonzo and Deputy PM Musalia Mudavadi.
Investigations by The Standard on Saturday have found growing support for a plan to have Uhuru as the group’s presidential aspirant, Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa as his running mate, and Ruto as Majority Party Leader in Parliament. Wamalwa strategists are already preparing the ground for this possible shift, telling people to wake up to reality that, on his own, the Saboti MP cannot win the presidency.
“Talks are on are we are telling our people to soften their demands that Wamalwa must be on the presidential ballot,” revealed a key Wamalwa ally. “Kalonzo was offered Speaker of the National Assembly but refused, arguing the much he could cede was to retain the vice-presidency,” an insider said.
In a bid to counter Kalonzo, the group is working out ways of luring Water Minister Charity Ngilu as a likely replacement, with a promise of making her the Deputy Party leader to Ruto. Mudavadi has not been factored in, given the group prefers to work with Wamalwa as the Western province point man as Uhuru takes care of Central region and Ruto the expansive Rift Valley.
Other targets include the Muslim vote, with word Mvita MP Najib Balala, who has launched his own party, the Republican Congress, is being targeted to be brought on board. Other regions earmarked for positions include Kisii and the Meru region, which may share the positions of Speaker of the National Assembly and the Senate.
The biggest challenge for this alliance, however, is the integrity case that will have a final say on whether Uhuru and Ruto can run for elective office. However, part of Plan B is to have the duo run in the first round of presidential elections in the hope that one of them will qualify to go to the run-off stage.
Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan was this week quoted saying it would be bad for the country for the two to run.
“Both Ruto and Uhuru have agreed in principle, both will run in the first round,” said a source involved in the negotiations. “Whoever wins will support the other in the run-off on condition that he will then become leader of majority. But this arrangement is not conclusive.” This arrangement would effectively destabilise Kalonzo who has been part of the G7 family, which Mudavadi has distanced himself from. Only the removal of Uhuru and Ruto from the race, which Chief Justice Willy Mutunga recently hinted was likely following precedents in two other cases, can revive the compromise plan.
Recently, Ruto was quoted by sections of the media as having confirmed that his party is working closely with TNA regarding the March polls, but has thrown everyone in a spin by also meeting Mudavadi and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Committees
Uhuru and Ruto, we confirmed, met on Monday morning at Ruto’s Karen home but the contents of their discussion was not made available to the media. Uhuru, a source within TNA told The Standard on Saturday, is more comfortable with Wamalwa as a running mate. It will be remembered that Wamalwa played a key role at the launch of TNA and has been widely involved in different political issues involving Uhuru.
The latest happenings are a testimony that although different consultative forums amongst parties friendly to President Mwai Kibaki’s side of the Government have been formed to explore ways of building a formidable political alliance capable of checking Raila’s ODM, some preliminary proposals brought up by each of these forums are in direct conflict with each other. However, the common denominator in each of these proposals appears to be the quest for strength in Parliament.
A discussion between The Standard on Saturday and multiple sources involved directly in the coalition talks amongst different parties revealed that several teething challenges in the talks will have to be overcome before a comfortable coalition agreement can be drawn up. Among these are the nature of the alliance, mode of picking the presidential flag-bearer for such an alliance and holders of other key positions among them deputy president and leader of majority in parliament. Understandably, the alliance discussions are characterised by mistrust amongst parties, which include, TNA, UDF, WDM, NFK and URP.
“Leaders in G7 especially Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto and Eugene Wamalwa have always insisted on a democratic process,” said Uhuru through his spokesman Munyori Buku. “Even if there are coalitions to be formed, let it be clear that everything will be democratic because the people must decide. The talk of a compromise candidate is empty and amounts to a short-cut democracy have no short cut.
UDF member and nominated MP George Nyamweya added: “As a party, we will not take part in coalition discussions that are based on individuals and what positions individuals will occupy. We will only take part in discussions based on issues affecting the country.”
And even as Uhuru denies talk of a compromise candidate, we have established four committees have been formed to navigate his new alliance with Ruto and Wamalwa and address emerging challenges. Representation in the teams shows Kalonzo and Mudavadi are not part of the script. The four include the Political Affairs Committee, Finance and Resources Committee, Logistics and Gender Committee and Conflict Resolutions Committee.



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