Kanu Regrouping

The old Kanu blue-eyed boys are back.

This appeared to be the case during last Wednesday’s fundraiser for the Mau evictees that turned out to be a re-union of Kanu old boys.

The stars of the night that has set the country’s political scene abuzz were Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka (who only sent emissaries), Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Agriculture Minister William Ruto.

Observers now view Kanu as the biggest winner in the apparent fallout in ODM over Mau, seizing the opportunity to sink their greatest rival — through the emerging KKK (Kamba, Kikuyu, Kalenjin) alliance first mooted by Kalonzo.

The fundraiser at Panafric Hotel, Nairobi, turned out to be the launch of a new political alliance bringing together PNU, Kanu and ODM rebels, and ODM-Kenya.

Significantly, President Kibaki’s son, Jimmy of Simama Kenya, sent Sh100,000 donation.

Jimmy was on Friday accorded a hero’s welcome in Keiyo, where he was a guest at another harambee hosted by local ODM chairman Micah Kigen.

Simama Kenya

The VP sent Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo on his behalf. Mr Mutula said Kalonzo could not make it as he was representing the President at a function in Mombasa.

Asked the significance of Jimmy’s participation, Simama Kenya spokesperson Tony Gachoka told The Standard on Sunday: "Simama Kenya has been attending harambees and supporting peace and reconciliation efforts in the Rift Valley. We have been meeting Ruto over these issues and it is in public domain. We could not ignore his invitation to support distressed people being evicted from Mau."

What was unmistakable was the re-emergence of old Kanu names, led by Kanu Chairman Uhuru Kenyatta, Mutula, Kanu lawyer for many years when the VP was Kanu National Organising Secretary.

Ruto was secretary general before he joined ODM in 2007, while Defence Minister Yusuf Haji was treasurer.

Special Programmes Minister Naomi Shabaan, who also featured prominently at the harambee, is a Kanu MP.

Young Turks’

So is Agriculture Assistant Minister and Nithi MP Kareke Mbiuki, who declared the team launched at Panafric would be in Government in 2013.

Igembe South MP and Kanu party whip Linturi Mithika also attended the fundraising.

Together with Deputy PM Musalia Mudavadi and Nambale MP Chris Okemo, Kalonzo, Uhuru and Katana Ngala were the ‘Young Turks’ former President Moi had lined up to succeed him in 2002.

Uhuru was the Kanu presidential candidate before Narc wave swept the party out of power.

The Finance Minister and Ruto’s most enduring image is one captured on the afternoon of December 29, 2002, when the two stood at a press conference at Serena Hotel to concede defeat to President Kibaki.


Represent that change

"I accept the choice of the people and concede that Mr Kibaki will be the third President of the Republic of Kenya... It was clear that the mood for change was strong. But the perception put across by the opposition was that we did not represent that change," Uhuru said then.

By a strange twist of fate, one man who must be watching the events with interest is former President Moi.

For once, his 2002 succession team seems to have finally bounced back.

Two, the former President never made secret his opposition to Rift Valley’s support for ODM in 2007.

If Wednesday’s events are anything to go by, the former President must feel vindicated that ‘his people’ seem to have finally seen the light.

It is not lost on observers that in recent weeks and ahead of the ‘Raila-bashing’ meeting at Panafric Hotel, Ruto dismissed the Kalenjin Council of Elders for being pro-Raila and replaced it with another lot that features prominent former senior civil servants in the Kanu regime.

Kanu strongholds

The two most recognisable faces are retired Chief of General Staff, Gen Daudi Tonje, and retired Commander of Kenya Army, Lt Gen Lazarus Sumbeiywo.

Ruto has also been touring former Kanu strongholds of North Rift, Upper Eastern and Coast, in which he has been endorsed as fit to run for president.