Raila's 'Ruto must go' calls are echoes from a distant past

Former president Uhuru Kenyatta (left) with Raila Odinga when they had the 'handshake' at Harambee House, Nairobi, in 2018. [File, Standard]

In 2008, he fought and prevailed, forcing President Kibaki into a Government of National Unity. In 2018, President Uhuru acceded to Odinga's demands in a nebulous arrangement called the Handshake."

Currently, the former PM has planned a series of political rallies, demonstrations and boycotts to force Ruto out of power. The president vows he will not acquiesce to a power-sharing arrangement. He has instead taken the battle to Odinga's backyard having recently made a successful tour of the Luo Nyanza region.

In comparing Odinga with Matiba, some salutary lessons obtain. Both were political detainees of the Moi administration. Both had indomitable spirits that remained unbroken after detention. Both ran for elections as presidential candidates and lost. Both had stints in the government as ministers.

There are also negative similarities. Matiba lost his moral high ground when he chose to forego representation of his constituents in Parliament. As MP for Kiharu, he boycotted the august House only making technical appearances for purposes of holding on to his seat. He was subsequently never elected and died in political oblivion.

Odinga is steadily losing his brand equity by issuing effete threats to his Azimio party adherents. As de facto head of the Opposition, he does not hold any position in Parliament or the government. His attempts to whip his party members cozying up to the Kenya Kwanza administration are being disregarded because his pronouncements are not ex-cathedra.

After free, fair, credible and verifiable elections, the public is now weary of "Ruto must go" calls. This is especially so after the apex court reaffirmed Ruto's win.

Former president Daniel arap Moi (right) with Raila Odinga and other KANU leaders in Kasarani in 2001. [File, Standard]

Against a background of hacking claims by nefarious Israelis working to sabotage last year's elections, whatever credibility Odinga's whistleblower had is now gone with the wind. Further, President Ruto is no pushover. He will use every trick in the book to ensure that Raila's clout is eviscerated in the coming months. Perhaps it is now time for this famous son of Bondo to say goodbye!

On a related note, former president Uhuru Kenyatta is caught between a rock and a hard place. The deadline set in law for him to relinquish his position in the Jubilee Party is fast approaching. He must do so in order to access his generous retirement package. But if he resigns from Jubilee, the greater Azimio coalition in which it holds a considerable stake may collapse.

Should he retire, Kenyatta fears that his political power will evanesce. Perhaps that's what has led him to issue withering broadsides at the Kenya Kwanza administration. He would be well advised to sue for peace. Criticism of the government, when it is trying to fix the economic mess he precipitated, is not in good taste.

-Mr Khafafa is a public policy analyst