WHAT RUTO OFFERED RAILA BEFORE HE CALLED OF MAANDAMANO

Strategic emissaries from both Kenya Kwanza and Azimio la Umoja went an overdrive barely minutes before former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Wednesday, May 3, called off the planned anti-government mass action.

The late-night announcement by Azimio came after the two coalitions agreed on proposals to change the constitution to create the offices of the Leader of the Official Opposition and Prime Minister.

President William Ruto had on Monday, May 1, told delegates attending Mo Ibrahim Foundation conference in Nairobi that he was in the process of reaching an agreement on how best to establish a system that will ensure that the ruling coalition is held to account.

“The Leader of Official Opposition is very key in a democracy like ours since it will help us remain accountable to the people who elected us,” Ruto stated.

The recent developments invited a myriad of analyses from a number of political pundits including Kassim Tandaza who noted that Ruto is a tactical genius who knows how to corner his targets.

He noted that, even though President yielded to a compromise, he also proved that he was not a pushover that could be toyed with at will.

“The President lured Azimio la Umoja with a bait which they could not resist but it is on the negotiation table that demonstrates that Ruto understood what he was doing,” Kassim noted.

Kassim further explained that President William Ruto remains the major factor with whom Raila Odinga will have to contend against even in the future.

While weighing in on the matter, political commentator and Executive Director of Siasa Place, Nelima Wako observed that President Ruto displayed a tactical move by being elastic enough to strike a compromise with Raila.

“The whole conversation began on the footing of the high cost of living, then became opening of IEBC servers but it’s now all clear that it’s about interests.

“Having seen this, it was only wise for the President to accommodate sentiments that he disagrees with because clearly, people are tired of the campaign mood,” Wako stated.

She noted that the compromise was timely and will enhance inclusivity in order to promote national unity by providing greater representation of different regions and communities in government.

“I’m, however, concerned that our leaders are not seeing the dire issues and wanting to look past the political animosity in to focus on bigger issues,” She stated.

The negotiations that had been going on for days got complicated when a faction of the Jubilee Party staged what would be termed as a political coup against Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Speaking to a local media house sources close to both President William Ruto and Raila Odinga revealed that the two political outfits hardly spoke to each other after some Jubilee officials attempted to remove Uhuru as the bonified Party Leader.

“The talks were going on well until they attempted to remove Uhuru. They only wanted to humiliate him and the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition,” a source close to Azimio la Umoja stated.

However, Azimio emissaries resumed behind-the-curtain talks after it became apparent that the so-called removal of Uhuru as Jubilee Party Leader was nothing other than hot air.

“What we are seeing in Jubilee Party is irresponsible and bad behaviour by a few individuals. Hopefully, they will resolve their issues,” Ndiritu Muriithi, former Laikipia Governor stated in support of Uhuru Kenyatta.

Other issues which were at stake included Pokot South Member of Parliament David Pkosing’s refusal to recuse himself from the bipartisan committee.

Apart from President Ruto’s decision to reach out to Raila through emissaries, the two leaders were also both under intense pressure from American, British, European Union, Chinese and Japanese governments to call a truce and halt the increasingly violent confrontations between opposition protesters and police.

Sourced from Kenyans.