Uhuru's long winding political journey

By Standard Team

KENYA: In the 15 years or so he has been in public life, Uhuru Kenyatta has exhibited both signs of an independent spirit and stubbornness. Take for instance the period immediately after the 2002 General Election. Uhuru, standing on a Kanu ticket, had faced it off with Mwai Kibaki who then enjoyed national support of the opposition.

Kibaki led all the way and even before the final tally of presidential votes was done, it was clear that he had an unassailable lead. By the time Uhuru was having about 1.5m votes, Kibaki had hit 2.5m. At this time, sources familiar with goings on say Uhuru decided that he was going to concede defeat.

Word got to Moi in State House that Uhuru was planning to concede defeat. The power brokers of the time convened a quick early morning meeting at State House. Present were Nicholas Biwott, Sally Kosgey, Amos Wako, and John Lokorio, among others.

Sources say President Moi was not present at the meeting, but he was monitoring things closely from his private residence – Kabarnet Gardens.

The power brokers summoned Uhuru to State House that early Sunday morning of December 29, 2002.

According to those familiar with what transpired, the power brokers told Uhuru in no uncertain terms that the election was not his to concede.

“We hear you are planning to concede defeat! Who are you to concede defeat? You were just a candidate and this thing is larger than you! Serikali si yako (the government is not yours)!” one of the power brokers around angrily told Uhuru.

When Uhuru told them the gap between his votes and those of Kibaki was too wide and beyond recovery, he was told, “Don’t worry about that. Something can be arranged.”

Later it emerged that the strategy was to file a petition at the High Court and have the then Chief Justice Bernard Chunga issue an order stopping further counting of votes on some flimsy  ‘national security’ grounds. It was at this point that Uhuru asked them to call President Moi for direction saying that he was uncomfortable with this strategy. When Moi came on line, he told Uhuru “Kijana, go ahead and do what you have to do”.

2005 referendum

Uhuru breathed a sigh of relief and quickly left State House, where he had been held ‘hostage’ for close to four hours – and went to Serena Hotel where he convened a hurriedly organised press conference and announced he had conceded defeat.

Then come 2005. The country is going into a referendum on whether or not Kenya should adopt a draft new constitution many found wanting. Uhuru teamed up with Raila Odinga, and other leaders who were opposed to that particular draft of the constitution.

Once again, power brokers – not Moi’s this time but rather power brokers around President Kibaki – are not amused.  Njenga Karume, then Defence Minister summoned Uhuru to Jacaranda Hotel where he told him he had no choice but to support the ‘Yes’ side of the constitutional issue.

A few days before the referendum, Uhuru sought audience with President Kibaki. He convinced the President not to go the referendum way.

But alas, yet a few more days later, Uhuru met Karume and John Michuki, two of the power brokers around Kibaki at the time and chide him “you thought the referendum would not happen eeh? Well, you are badly mistaken, it will.” And it did with devastating consequences for Kibaki presidency and possibly planting the demon seeds that gave the country the post-election violence two years later. Uhuru jumped out of the ODM group after the referendum when the movement morphed into a political party and was now gearing up to take on Kibaki almost sure of defeating him, after all they had defeated ‘his’ constitution. Fast-forward 2007. Uhuru decides to back Mwai Kibaki in his quest for a second term. He is under pressure from some quarters to run but sticks to his guns that he is backing Kibaki unconditionally. Kibaki is impressed and happy with this arrangement.

 When all is said and done, what comes out from these interactions is that Uhuru Kenyatta is a complex character, who will take an independent position if he believes in it.

So, how is Uhuru going to react in the looming crisis that is likely to come out of the Jubilee Coalition attempts to decide who between Uhuru and Musalia Mudavadi becomes the group’s presidential candidate?