Duale: ICC Saga exposes Opposition’s lack of ideas

The topic that has fiercely captured the attention of the nation over the past few weeks is the procurement of witnesses for the case facing Deputy President William Ruto and journalist Joshua arap Sang.

In the midst of all the din, what comes out clearly is what we have always said; that these cases have no basis because they were manufactured to meet political ends. Much as Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda desperately clutches on straws, these cases are headed for a spectacular collapse.

Coming back to the fixing saga, a lot has been said regarding the fate of the Jubilee Alliance as accusations and counter-accusations swirl about. The Opposition is milking the fixing circus for all it is worth. But only a few cannot see hypocrisy in their claims.

We welcome any information that would help to strengthen our position that our brothers are innocent. However, the question we must ask ourselves regarding CORD’s newfound urge to testify are these: Why now? Where have they been all this time?

Apparently, CORD sees this as an opportunity to shake the foundation of Jubilee’s unity. They are particularly keen to drive a wedge between President Uhuru Kenyatta and DP Ruto.

Instead of coming up with a comprehensive alternative agenda for Kenyans, they are spending copious amounts of time and energy looking for loopholes in Jubilee. The other day, they made a ridiculous proposition regarding the teachers’ standoff over pay. This came hot on the heels of another equally ridiculous attempt to impeach the President.

Perhaps realising the folly of their ill-informed actions, CORD has beaten a hasty retreat and gone loudly silent on these issues. This inability to think things through has defined CORD’s opposition politics.

For the last three years, the Opposition has been a great disservice to this country, staging one sideshow after another in a bid to distract the Government. They have hardly behaved like a government in waiting.

CORD’s desperation should also be seen in the light of its internal challenges. Keen readers of political landscape would readily tell you that it is headed for an implosion. While they keep telling us that a democratic process will be deployed in picking a flag bearer for 2017, it is obvious that Raila Odinga will stop at nothing to be the presidential candidate.

Kalonzo Musyoka is under increasing pressure from his backyard to run as CORD’s candidate. The moment Kalonzo appears to challenge Raila’s supremacy will be the end of CORD. The third principal, Moses Wetang’ula, has to pretend that he, too, is seriously in the race for State House to endear himself to Western voters. To deflect attention from fundamental internal weaknesses, CORD is trying to plant seeds of discord in Jubilee, with their latest fodder being the ICC fixing saga. They won’t succeed.

The writer is National Assembly Majority Leader and MP for Garissa Township