5 things that have changed since Raila was sworn in January
2018 highlights
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NASA had boycotted the October 26 repeat election after which they kept the country in anxiety – threatening to swear in ODM Leader Raila Odinga as President in a parallel ceremony.
The mock swearing in ceremony finally happened on January 31 – drastically shaping the 2018 political handshake.
Here is a breakdown of major things that have happened since handshake:
Miguna Deported
Lawyer and activist Miguna Miguna bravely swore in Odinga as the People’s President – even as most politicians kept off.
However, Miguna has paid the highest price for the action as he was later arrested, detained for several days before being dramatically put on a plane to Canada.
After the courts nullified Miguna’s purported deportation, the outspoken lawyer returned about two weeks after the handshake.
Despite being received by Odinga at the airport, the activist was not allowed into the country and was allegedly dragged and forcefully flown to Dubai after which he returned to Canada where he remains to date.
NASA fall out
Three of NASA principals started having public divisions following the January swearing ceremony where they failed to show up.
However, the situation escalated on March 20, just 11 days after the famous handshake deal when Senators allied to Odinga ousted Ford Kenya Leader Moses Wetangula from his Senate Minority position.
The Bungoma senator was replaced by Siaya’s James Orengo, after which he said NASA was “history”.
Jubilee Internal Fighting
Just like NASA, Jubilee was not spared on internal turmoil following the handshake.
Prior to the handshake, divisions in the senior Jubilee leaders was never made public if at all it existed.
However, after the handshake, allies of Deputy President William Ruto, most notably Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen have publicly attacked unnamed officials in President Kenyatta’s government.
In June, Murkomen said Jubilee “would fall” if the President did not “warn his people”.
VAT on Fuel
While Kenyans started the year with zero VAT on fuel, the year ends with an 8 percent tax.
The fuel tax was passed after the handshake, with Odinga marshaling Opposition MPs to support the highly unpopular law.
Raila, Kalonzo get lucrative jobs
Odinga and Musyoka’s have not only earned lucrative jobs, but their security details have been withdrawn following the handshake deal.
The ODM leader was in October appointed African Union High Representative for Infrastructure Development.
Musyoka has from November been serving as special envoy monitoring the South Sudan peace process.
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