In politics, they say, much change can occur in a short space of time. In just one week. Opposition chief Raila Odinga’s path for his African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship has been cleared.
This was after a ‘game changing decision, was adopted by the AU Executive Council allowing only Eastern Arica region to submit the candidates for the AUC top position and given that the region seems to coalesce around Raila safe for Somalia, it’s a big win for President William Ruto.
Mudavadi, who is in Addis for the 22nd Extraordinary Session of the AU’s Executive Council of Foreign Affairs Minister termed the move a ‘major breakthrough ‘ saying it was in accordance with the Statute of the AU Commission, the Rules of Procedure of the African Union policy organs and the decisions of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
“It is now clear that Raila Odinga will be in the race for the AU Commission Chairperson. Effectively, there are no more technical or legal hurdles preventing Kenya from submitting its candidate,” he stated.
The decision also provides that the Northern Africa region will front candidates for the Deputy Chairperson while the other three regions, Central, Southern and Western, will compete for the six positions of commissioners.
The move came as a major relief to the President who will undoubtedly reap big should Raila succeeds to clinch the much-coveted position as he will have dealt Opposition a major blow since the move will silence Raila and give him a license to o whatever he wishes as there will be no or dismal criticism.
But wait, going by the unfolding of the political events of the week, it seems that the President, will not relax if the Ndabibi land controversy is anything to go by.
It seems even after Raila, who many regard as the father of opposition, and who many refuses to elect as President so that he can continue providing checks and balances to the powers that be, Kenyans will stand up and fight for what they think belong to them.
A case in point is the 5000-acre piece of Ndabibi land which is owned by none other than the President. This was announced by Naivasha MP Jane Kihara who doubles up as the Lands Parliamentary Vice chairperson.
This follows an ugly face off between the police and the locals where 19 people were arrested for allegedly taking down a concrete fence surrounding the land and destroying property worth Ksh.2.3 million.
Farmers laying claim to the land have since threatened to shut down schools in the area until they are issued with a title to the land.
Area Deputy County Commissioner Mutua Kisilu has dared to deal with anybody thinks he can implement their threats to close down schools in the area.
“I hear there are people saying their will close down schools, there are people who know how to speak things they cant do, and they should hold their tongues, I dare them to try and I will deal with them,” he said.
MP Kihara said ‘Ati naona mtu kwa hiyo karuninga aksiema kama Ruto ako na shamba hapa akuje kama ameuma title deed kwa meno surely you have no respect for the president unakuja hapa kuchochea watu ati ndio wakasirike wamenyanganywa shamba.’
Political pundits believe if Raila was in active politics and if they had not brokered a deal with Ruto, he would have been the defender of Ndabibi people in Naivasha, part of the Mt Kenya region which has been lukewarm with Raila, and this could have earned him political bonga points.
“Were it not for his AUC ambitions, Raila could have even visited the victims in the police stations as they were taken to Milimani police station over 150 kilometers from their area and near Raila’s residence. But in his absence locals have been let to fight their own battles and this could be a catastrophe to Ruto,” Mwangi Ndirangu a political analyst noted.
He said, dealing with Raila for the President could be easier than dealing with the electorate as he needed only to brand Raila as violent, railway destroyer, inciter and lord of poverty but claims he may not lay on the electorate especially where his name is involved in obvious conflict of interests angle,” noted Ndirangu.
Other than the Raila-Ruto political agreement, the week has also been characterized by the impeachment of Kisii Deputy Governor Robert Monda after the Senate confirmed allegations of greed, corruption and abuse of office. Monda became the first Deputy governor to be impeached in the history of devolution.
“By virtue of the deputy governor requesting and receiving a bribe of Sh800,00 he is in breach of the provisions of Article 232 which obligates public officers to observe the values and principles of public service, ” the charges read.
The MCAs said in the charges that Monda used his office to intimidate and cow his family into hiding fearing for their lives in contravention of section 34 of the Integrity Act, 2012.