President William Ruto finds himself between a hard place and a rock as to how to handle Azimio’s Raila Odinga and his never-ending demands. The West, and especially the US have exerted a lot of pressure on him, which may force him to give up his pride, he is likely to submit to the opposition’s demands.
The Weekly Vision has learnt that Raila Odinga reportedly asked for three of the six Commissioners of the Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC). The demand was made during his secret meeting with President William Ruto at a Mombasa hotel in the presence of Mr Obasanjo. President Ruto, on the other hand, is said to have swallowed his pride before meeting Raila Odinga and is out to do anything possible to ensure there is peace and stability in the country to allow him to deliver on his promises made during the campaigns.
Raila Odinga is focused on the 2027 elections, according to sources privy to the talks, and his main objective is to plan how Azimio will take power from Kenya Kwanza. According to our sources, Raila’s top priority during the 10-member bipartisan committee talks, which will be chaired by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, is electoral reforms.
Apart from the three slots at the IEBC, sources add that Mr Odinga also demanded that out of the three commissioners, the vice chairman must be one of his nominees to the commission. Aware that the IEBC chairmanship is a powerful position, and by virtue of being the Chief Returning Officer in the presidential elections, having a deputy allied to him will help him and Azimio in overseeing and checkmating the chairman. It is believed that President Ruto did not have any trouble with Raila’s request, but his allies, including his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, are against the idea.
Sources say that President Ruto is opposed to the inclusion of Raila Odinga and his lieutenants in the government (power sharing), but he has no problem having Raila’s allies appointed, even to the cabinet.
The President is under such pressure that he is prepared to sacrifice two of his cabinet members to accommodate Raila Odinga’s allies if it could bring peace to the country. He is said to have learned that under the current volatile political situation, he will fail to deliver and that it will be an easy ride for the opposition to make him a one-term president. It has also been discovered that he has promised to ensure the creation of a powerful position of official opposition with a complete shadow cabinet fully funded by the exchequer.
Sources say Raila Odinga is now ready and willing to take up the position only after the fresh and inclusive reconstitution of the IEBC. Azimio is expected to come up with a Bill for the creation of the positions of official opposition and shadow cabinet, which will then be entrenched in the constitution.
The secret meeting between Raila Odinga and William Ruto, according to sources, was friendly, and both leaders put their demands on the table. According to sources, Raila Odinga requested the IEBC slots, the end of police brutality against unarmed citizens, and reducing the cost of living, among other things, while Ruto, on his part, offered Raila the creation of official opposition, allocating IEBC slots and state appointments to some of his allies.
It is for the above reasons that some of the Raila allies who have gone mute are now said to be reaching out to Raila to be considered for shadow cabinet and state jobs. We have information: Ruto has tactically delayed the appointment of high commissioners and ambassadors to accommodate Azimio appointees should they strike a deal with Raila.
