G7 leaders tense as they react to Uhuru deal

By Juma Kwayera

The G7 Alliance heads into the weekend smarting from reports its leaders are nervous about this week’s political development involving Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta.

Uhuru’s The National Alliance, Grand National Union (GNU), Alliance Party of Kenya and Party of National Unity on Wednesday committed to a pre-election agreement. He secured endorsement for his presidential bid under the deal signed by ministers Kiraitu Murungi (APK), Amos Kimunya (PNU) and assistant minister Mwangi Kiunjuri (GNU), which appears to have unsettled the G7 Alliance.

Signs of the tension emerged the following day when Eldoret North MP William Ruto failed to show up for a meeting Uhuru convened involving G7 Alliance presidential aspirants.

There are reports Ruto met Deputy PM Musalia Mudavadi later that day. But we could not independently verify the claims.

An ally of Mudavadi said of the meeting: “In politics there are no permanent enemies and friends, only permanent interests. Mudavadi and Ruto met after concluding that Uhuru is ‘cunning’.”

On Thursday, a guarded Ruto had declined to comment on his failure to attend the meeting with Uhuru, instead telling journalists his United Republican Party had a crucial meeting.

He, however, stressed he was still in the informal G7 Alliance. Mudavadi’s aide, however, was more blunt, saying the Deputy PM would not have attended a meeting whose purpose was to endorse a competitor.

Yesterday, some allies of Ruto spoke out harshly of Uhuru’s latest maneuvers, underlining all is not well.  Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto, while neither denying nor confirming that Mudavadi and Ruto met to discuss Uhuru’s latest move, charged URP would not be treated like a junior partner.

 Equal partnership

The MP claimed his party had resolved to battle for the presidency on its own after TNA violated an earlier understanding of equal partnership.

“The people Uhuru met are his lackeys. We shall consider an alliance in the event of a second round. We cannot form an alliance with a party that is still struggling to get members,” Ruto said.

On Thursday, Uhuru held talks with Raphael Tuju’s Party of Action, Eugene Wamalwa’s New Ford-Kenya, and Murungi’s APK. MP Mohammed Affey represented Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Democratic Movement. The parties committed to a pact to facilitate joint nominations for the alliance’s presidential candidate.

But it is the earlier deal to endorse Uhuru that has been denounced in certain quarters.  A section of PNU officials said they had not sanctioned the agreement.

APK founder member and Murungi ally, Githinji Kirago, also dismissed the alliance as moot, arguing it had not been backed by party resolutions, as APK constitution requires.

Mr Kirago says the highest decision-making organs, national executive councils, of TNA, Wiper party, and small parties have yet to meet to ratify the deal.

“We should have inclusiveness. Whoever is elected president should feel he is the president of all Kenyans.

 You wouldn’t want to be president of a country where 40 per cent of the people do not want you. From the democratic point of view, anybody is free to run. But our institutions are still fragile. But if democracy would precipitate disintegration, then convectional wisdom takes precedence,” argues Kirago to highlight the widening rifts in central Kenya.

Described by Ruto and PNU nominated MP George Nyamweya, who is allied to UDF, as an alliance informed by regional and ethnic chauvinism, the deal is already eliciting revulsion amid claims of mistrust and backstabbing.

Logic of ‘Bus’ valid

At the meeting, Murungi said the coming together is a vindication that the logic of the ‘Bus’ is still valid: It is about consolidating Mt Kenya vote.

“Time is running out and people need to make up their minds. Endless talk and boardroom meetings will not get votes only a decision to give people direction will bring victory,” he said.

The deal Uhuru entered with Kiunjuri, and Murungi has also exposed suspicions in Central that pit “conservatives” against “progressives”.

To break with the past, the Catholic Church, an influential voice around Mt Kenya, is said to be backing the rebellion against the “conservatives”.

Catholic head, John Cardinal Njue’s meeting with Mudavadi last week is the latest in a series of meetings church leaders have been holding with non-Mt Kenya presidential aspirants.

Retired ACK Bishop David Gitari and PCEA Reverend Timothy Njoya have in the past met Prime Minister Raila Odinga to underline the urgency for trans-ethnic political formation.

Ruto and Mudavadi, who had been invited to the meeting at Norfolk Hotel, snubbed it, accusing TNA of being selfish.

Uhuru’s efforts to consolidate support in central Kenya come as some leaders ally themselves with either Mudavadi or Raila.