From: People For Peace
Voices of Justice for Peace
Regional News
BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2012
The fact that elections in Kenya are held along ethnic and regional lines, it will be too early to jump into conclusions that by National Alliance (TNA) winning two of the three parliamentary seats in Monday’s by-elections as the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) retained Ndhiwa in a landslide win Uhuru may win 2013 presidential election.
[image]Uhuru and Raila in previous function/ File photo
There was no doubt that Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s TNA would win the Kangema and Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s ODM party would win Ndhiwa. It was also obvious that Kenyatta’s TNA would win Kajiado North because TNA is just PNU reloaded.
In Kangema, TNA’s Tiras Ngahu had 13,762 votes ahead of United Democratic Forum’s Simon Mwangi with 2,981 and Saba Saba Asili’s Muturi Kigano with 2,801, after results from all the 47 polling stations were announced.
In Kajiado North Mr Moses ole Sakuda of TNA led with 25,569 votes followed by Mr Peter ole Mositet of ODM with 13,519 votes. PNU’s Antony Keen was third with 2,048 votes.
In Ndhiwa, ODM’s Agustino Neto led with 21,565 votes followed by Kanu’s Tom Onyango with 2,291 votes. TNA’s Rosemary Rumo won with 216 votes. Deputy Prime Minsiter Musalia Mudavadi’s UDF party did not win any of the seats, including civic.
Kajiado North remained vacant following the death of Professor George Saitoti after a horrific police helicopter crash on Sunday 10th June in Kibiku forest in Ngong. He perished together with his internal security minister Orwa Ojode and four others who include two pilots and two bodyguards.
The media’s favourite political analyst, Mutahi Ngunyi, sensationally claimed that Prof. George Saitoti might have been assassinated. Mutahi was speaking on Jeff Koinange’s Capital Talk in June. The famous political analyst said that assassination was number one on the list of what might have killed the internal security minister, his deputy, their bodyguards and two pilots.
Mutahi said that succession politics in Kenya have always attracted political assassinations, pointing out the assassinations of Tom Mboya and JM Kariuki and claimed that Saitoti’s death might have been similar to the two only that it was well executed. He added that Orwa Ojode was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Ruling out political mileage as a reason for assassinating the professor, Mutahi took on drug barons. He said that the drug barons may have been unhappy with Saitoti and the way he refused to bend to their knees- Source: Nairobi Wire.
[image]Mutahi Ngunyi during Capital Talk with K24 host Jeff Koinange-June 16, 2012. He claimed Saitoti was assassinated/ File
Even though opinion polls have all the times put Raila as the frontrunner to be the 4th president of Kenya, this is not going to be an easy task for him either. Uhuru is a very rich man and can easily use his resources to win his way to State House.
On the other hand, Raila is preferred by the vast majority of Kenyan people because they see him as a reformer who has continuously propagated for democracy and good governance. He did not only dare Moi when no one could open his mouth but was also once accused of contemplating to overthrow his government which resulted in him being sent to jail for years.
He is also liked because he was very instrumental in bringing to an end the KANU government which Kenyans have suffered under for decades and his force behind the election of kibaki and NARC government into power in 2002 when he declared the famous kibaki tosha slogan.
He is also seen as the man behind the passing of the new constitution which promises many good things for the ordinary Kenyans, especially now that some of its effect can be seen on a mere security guard getting her right and prominent government officials can be put into jail over corruption.
According to poll opinion, it is only Raila’s ODM party which has more national outlook as compared to other political parties. Opinion polls have many times indicated the orange party to be the most popular political party in Kenya and this is a massive boast for Raila’s presidential bid.
Other Kenyans will sympathize with him for his “stolen” victory in 2007. Many Kenyans and particularly Mr. Odinga’s supporters widely believe that he was robbed of victory in 2007, having won the most votes in 6 out of the 8 provinces in Kenya.
Asked why she defended Mwai Kibaki even when it became very clear that he stole the votes from Raila, presidential aspirant, Martha Karua said that just like Raila was defended by those of James Orengo and the ODM pentagon, as an agent of Kibaki she had all the rights to defend him.
[image]Presidential aspirant Martha Karua second right during Cheche Live-June 19, 2012/ caption by Fr Omolo Joachim, AJ-courtesy Citizen TV
Karua who was answering questions during Citizen TV Cheche Live some few minutes a go said if Raila’s votes were stolen then he would have gone to court to refute the claim. Raila refused to go to court because at that time the court was in favour of Kibaki.
Mr Odinga and his supporters were of the view that he had won squarely and fairly and that the government had colluded with the Samuel Kivuitu led defunct electoral commission of Kenya (ECK) to manipulate and rig the elections in favour of the incumbent; Mwai Kibaki.
On the other hand, those who sympathize with Uhuru cannot vote for Raila because they believe he is the one who conspired that he goes to The Hague. Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto are facing crimes against humanity charges at The Hague based international criminal court (ICC) in the Netherlands.
They are accused of committing the crimes during the violence that followed the disputed presidential election of 2007. Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto claim that Raila has engineered their prosecution and tribulations facing them.
Against the background that Ruto and Uhuru have since formed an alliance dubbed G7 bringing together many politicians to ensure Raila does not make it to State House. Some of the political alliances which have come together in support of Uhuru include the Alliance Party of Kenya (APK) party, led by Minister Kiraitu Murungi, the Party of National Unity (PNU), Grand National Union (GNU) and Alliance Party of Kenya (APK), as well as his own party, The National Alliance (TNA).
The coalition agreement at the Nairobi’s Norfolk Hotel on Wednesday, August 8, 2012 was signed by Kenyatta for TNA, Minister Amos Kimunya (PNU), Kiraitu (APK) and Assistant minister Mwangi Kiunjuri of GNU.
The ceremony was also attended by Finance Minister Robinson Njeru Githae, APK chairman Titus Imbui and GEMA’s Dr. Stephen Karau. They resolved and agreed to support the presidential candidature of Uhuru Kenyatta. They also mandated and empowered Uhuru Kenyatta to enter into negotiations with like-minded parties to ensure that the coalition wins the forthcoming General Election.
Apart from GEMA circle, other parties that have shown the interest in Uhuru’s support include Party of Action (POA’s) Raphael Tuju, Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM’s) Kalonzo Musyoka, United Republican Party (URP’s) William Ruto and New Ford Kenya’s Eugene Wamalwa.
Apart from political parties, there are some individuals who political analysts claime to have been hired to work for the downfall of Raila. They include Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, former Raila’s advisor, Miguna Miguna and Tony Gachoka.
In his memorandum regarding information of the ICC trials, Gachoka who claims to be a Kenyan Investigative Media Personality of over 20 years standing said that between the years 2008-2009 he was the Chief of Protocol in the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya, the Rt. Honourable Eng. Raila Amollo Odinga, having been a political aide of his since 2005.
His duties included running the diary of the Prime Minister for all local and international meetings as well as sitting in on those meetings. During his time working for the Prime Minister, he claims that certain information relevant to the ongoing International Criminal Court trials regarding the Kenya Situation (2007-2008) came into his knowledge.
This information, which he said he can support with documentary evidence in his possession, touches on some of the evidence adduced before the Court and which has been relied on by the office of the Chief Prosecutor.
There are also some political analysts who believe that Uhuru Kenyatta’s recent historic visit to Nyanza could open a new window for power sharing deals between the Luo and the Kikuyu, the claim which Raila’s supporters may not buy.
Uhuru was quoted to have said: “With what I saw in Nyanza, it is evident that things have changed greatly and anything, including possible power sharing deals between Uhuru and Raila is now possible”.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
People for Peace in Africa
Tel +254-7350-14559/+254-722-623-578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
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