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Vanquished: Why transition could be big headache for Uhuru, allies

Just how does the outgoing president, for instance, face his deputy - a man whose presidential bid he was openly opposed to - and walk through with him in this last handover phase? And while at it, how does he reconcile with the murmurs in the corner of his main ally, Raila, who - rightly or wrongly - may feel betrayed by the turn of events?

Equally restless are Uhuru's top government officers, who have largely executed his political agenda over the last four years, thereby putting them in direct conflict with the president-elect and his allies.

Besides Cabinet Secretaries like Fred Matiang'i (Interior), Peter Munya (Agriculture), Joe Mucheru (ICT), James Macharia (Transport) and Sicily Kariuki (formerly, Water), who actively drummed up support for Raila's election, Uhuru stares at the possibility of a string of political orphans, led by outgoing National Assembly's Leader of Majority Amos Kimunya and his party's Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, should the court uphold Ruto's win.

Seasoned politician Kiraitu Murungi, who is the outgoing Meru governor, his Nyandarua counterpart Francis Kimemia, who also serves as chairman of the Central Region Economic Bloc, and Jubilee's Director of Elections Kanini Kega, among other lieutenants of Uhuru who lost at the ballot, also leave the outgoing president politically exposed.

Shocked or disappointed by the development, most of the politicians who fell by the wayside declined to speak to The Standard.

Mr Kimunya and outgoing Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu, for instance, did not respond to our calls, while Nyeri Senate loser Kabando Kabando said, "I have seen your questions but please let this one pass."

Despite remaining tight-lipped, the pain in politicians allied to Uhuru is palpable. At least this is evident from the sentiments of Kioni, one of the few poll losers who have opened up.

"The target of this poll battle in our region was President Uhuru, and some of us are just collateral damage, who were punished for supporting Odinga as advised by our party leader," said Kioni.

Maintaining that Uhuru's were "fairly popular candidates", the Jubilee Party spokesman nonetheless hails his colleagues for what he terms a monumental sacrifice without which, "Ruto would have swept the boards and been declared undisputed winner on the second day after the poll."

Muffled protests

In apparent response to muffled protests among supporters of Raila to the effect that the president "failed to come through for his brother at the hour of need" during the declaration of Ruto as victor at Nairobi's Bomas of Kenya, which was preceded by chaos and controversy, Kioni maintains Uhuru played his rightful role in support of Raila's candidature.

This view is supported by ODM National Chairman John Mbadi, who hails the president for "the spirited effort in piecing together the Azimio outfit", an exercise that he confesses was initially delicate and slippery.

Uhuru is indeed credited for bringing together political players around the country to back Raila's presidential bid. Through spirited boardroom negotiations and manuevres, which initially involved Raila's former National Super Alliance (Nasa) compatriots, Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC) and Moses Wetang'ula (Ford-K), Uhuru eventually managed to help assemble the Azimio political outfit.

Says David Murathe, a close ally of Uhuru and Vice Chairman of Jubilee, "It was one of the toughest tasks, and even after Musalia and Wetang'ula bolted, the president stayed on course. He also succeeded to woo Kalonzo back to the fold, after he momentarily stepped aside, and roped in other players from northern Kenya."

Noting that Uhuru had originally planned to quit active politics at the end of his second term in office, Murathe explains that circumstances compelled the Jubilee leader to review this stand after some party leaders in Azimio, who expressed reservations in Raila honouring party pacts, asked him to stay on.

"Uhuru is actually in Azimio more as a guarantor to some party leaders, with regard to the execution of pacts entered into by member parties," he says.

And for his sacrifice to team up with and support Raila's campaign, Uhuru has paid a heavy political price. His deputy, whose presidential bid he opposed, has painted his Mt Kenya backyard yellow (UDA colours), including in his own rural constituency of Gatundu South, where he served as area MP between 2002 and 2013.

Vanquished at the polls, including at home, and with a possible Ruto presidency, barring a different outcome from court, political analyst Henry Wabwire opines that Uhuru's sole practical hope lies in Raila.

"Only he can accord him a second opportunity to restore his political pride and help him recover lost ground in Mt Kenya region. But this is out of his hands already, as only the Supreme Court can turn around the political lives of Uhuru and Raila."

A ruling by the apex court in favour of Raila will no doubt give Uhuru and his orphaned allies a much desired breather and political lifeline. It will also accord the outgoing leader opportunity to repackage himself politically and roll out his succession plot in Mt Kenya region.

But in the event the Supreme Court affirms Ruto's win, the only plausible option for Uhuru would be to bury the hatchet with his former partner, and peacefully oversee the transition of power.

While Uhuru has not pronounced himself on the swearing in ceremony, on Thursday he gave an assurance that power transition will go on smoothly.

So far, the president has played by the book. Through the government printer, he has gazetted Ruto as president-elect and further appointed members to the committee of Assumption of Office of the President.