Uhuru team reaches out to Raila’s allies

President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in a face-to-face talk during a past event.  [Photo: File]

By Oscar Obonyo

NAIROBI,KENYA: Debate has erupted within CORD over Jubilee’s plan to have some “surprise appointments” to the Government next week.

Top Jubilee coalition leaders have reportedly contacted ODM’s Raila Odinga at least three times since President Uhuru Kenyatta was confirmed the winner of the March 4 election.

They are offering to consider allies of the former Premier for positions in Government. However, there are questions over what this will cost the Opposition. The ruling coalition has reportedly asked Raila to give them names of people in CORD who can be appointed to various Government positions. Raila is said to have forwarded Jubilee’s request to Permanent Secretary Mohammed Isahakia to follow up.

The political overtures targeted at the former Prime Minister have elicited mixed reactions among his supporters. While some see them as an avenue for their inclusion in Government, others fear it could be a ploy to neutralise Raila politically.

Raila was Uhuru’s main rival in the March 4 presidential election on a CORD ticket. He unsuccessfully disputed the election outcome in court and was not present at the President’s inauguration ceremony on Tuesday. Discussions between CORDand Jubilee leaders took place shortly after the March 4 General Election and again after the Supreme Court ruling. Details of the matters discussed remain closely guarded.

The Jubilee leadership is, however, reportedly at a loss owing to “conflicting signals” from Raila. Claims of a scheme to weaken the Opposition and talk of finding a political role for himself suggest he is not open to discussion of his retirement. Quoting unnamed sources in CORD, a reputable online newsletter this week reported that Raila had declined to meet the President for discussions that may lead to his retirement. However, a senior aide to Raila that has spoken to The Standard On Saturday claims that there has been at least one face-to-face meeting.

“According to Odinga’s advisers, Kenyatta’s plan is to persuade him to leave politics in return for support to become a... mediator in conflicts on the continent,” reports the Indian Ocean Newsletter. “Despite his advanced age (69), Raila does not want to leave politics.”

An Uhuru aide who sought anonymity on Friday night said there have been some overtures linked to a role for Raila among the African Union’s envoys. He said Jubilee want to engage Raila “as a statesman”.

Any deal on non-Cabinet Government positions or Raila’s retirement would not necessarily affect the balance of power between the Government and the Opposition in Parliament. Viewed in terms of the strength of a coalition of parties, Raila’s CORD has inferior numbers to Uhuru’s Jubilee. However, as a single party, Raila’s ODM has the majority number of seats in both the National Assembly and Senate, followed by Uhuru’s TNA and Ruto’s URP.

A plan is underway to have Raila’s running mate, Kalonzo Musyoka, enter Parliament via nomination or by-election to provide leadership to CORD. A proposal to also have Raila do the same has since been rejected as unseemly.  Views on how CORD and Jubilee relate outside Parliament remain mixed.

“If you want to kill Opposition, include them in Government,” says Dr Alfred Mutua, Governor of Machakos County. “Nonetheless, people… want to see leaders work together.”

Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen (URP) says Jubilee is committed to giving CORD leaders an opportunity to participate in national programmes.

“The President and Deputy President are simply opening up avenues of communication,” he says. Murkomen, who is eyeing the position of Government Chief Whip in Senate, however, rules out the possibility of Raila and Kalonzo themselves being absorbed into Government, as was the case in the last Parliament.

“The working relationship being nurtured will not translate into their entry to Government,” he offers.

Confessing that he was not privy to any talks, Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo (ODM) observed that the actions of Jubilee leaders were not tied to the mood in their parties.

“While Uhuru and Ruto are calling for participation in Government by both Jubilee and CORD political players, that is not what you get when you listen to MPs allied to the two,” says Gumbo. “They are demanding to control committees of the two Houses (of Parliament).”

During the inauguration ceremony at Kasarani on Tuesday, Ruto hinted at the apparent overtures. He said they will “surprise many” by forming an all-inclusive Government, including appointing individuals from “rival camps”. And addressing staff of the former PM on Thursday, after taking over the offices previously occupied by Raila and his team, at BP Shell Building along Harambee Avenue, the Deputy President reiterated his earlier call to Raila “to identify and give us people to work with”.

Given his audience at the time, Ruto may have been addressing himself to the former PM’s staff, most of whose contracts have expired or will soon expire. However, he may also have meant accommodating the “Raila orphans” in Government.

An insider, who is close to the former PM, confided in The Standard On Saturday that the CORDleader is yet to formally respond to Jubilee’s offers. “He is still weighing his options before reverting to them,” the aide said. “Even then, he will be doing so as CORD not as an individual.