Jubilee, Nasa standoff is a slap on the face of Kenya's democratic gains
Will Jubilee win in the new political onslaught to scuttle Mr Odinga's legacy?
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As Mr Odinga resorted to political bullying on the Wafula Chebukati led IEBC, which is seemingly not bowing to pressure to have the “irreducible minimums” addressed, Jubilee has devised a raft of legislative measures to compel Mr Odinga, either to officially withdraw from the race, or be part of it.
The dash by Jubilee to solidify the legitimacy of its party leader as the duly elected president through the National Assembly has sparked controversy, leading to numerous aborted meetings. The agenda, according to DP William Ruto, is “to avert a constitutional crisis which is in the offing.”
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Ideally, sentiments by the former Prime Minister that there will be “no elections” have thrown Jubilee spanners in the works. And it is serious work. All corners of political gimmicks must be brought to light. It has hit a dead end.
Desperate moves calls for desperate measures. The party now wants Raila to make a formal and written withdrawal application to the IEBC in what is seen as a strategy to ring-fence Uhuru’s mandate after the October 26, if Raila makes good his boycott threat.
If indeed Mr Odinga officially quits the race, Mr Kenyatta will be sworn in for the second term, on condition that the amendments are passed as law.
“Where there are more than two remaining candidates in the election after the withdrawal, the election shall proceed as scheduled; where only one candidate remains after the withdrawal, the remaining candidate shall be declared elected forthwith as president-elect without any election being held,” reads the proposed amendment.
This approach and demand by the party to have Mr Odinga officially write to the IEBC – which, by the way, he want it changed – may not be possible. He will not write to the IEBC to withdraw his candidature. It is as hard as him accepting that Mr Kenyatta won the election on August 8.
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Another purge which Uhuru’s team is planning against the former Premier is to have him forced on the ballot, as “he is the beneficiary of the Supreme Court which annulled Uhuru’s victory.”
Through Pokot South lawmaker Mr David Pkosing, Jubilee has moved to court to compel Raila to participate in the presidential rerun.
If Raila does not formally withdraw but maintains his no election threat, then the MP wants this declared as acts of treason punishable by death.
Jubilee is concerned that Raila may mobilise his supporters to disrupt the election in some areas to deny the polls the requisite constitutional threshold. The Constitution requires that a presidential election must be conducted in each constituency.
Kenya's repeat elections has put the nation at a delicate point and foreshadows more trouble for her countrymen.
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