BY HENRY KIMOLI – Kenyans love feigning excuses to justify political decisions. The Kibra by-election is being cited as the stroke that will break NASA…the political juggernaut that pushed President Uhuru Kenyatta to brand Chief Justice Maraga a thug.
Reason? Maraga and the Supreme Court has nullified the August 8th, 2017 poll at the behest of NASA. For starters, NASA was a political Special Purpose Vehicle to evict President Uhuru from State House.
Like other such facilities, NASA was disbanded the moment its leader Raila Odinga was sworn in as the people’s President without his other co-principles. It was buried the day the handshake took effect…and its first memorial service was celebrated when Raila took charge of infrastructure docket for Africa and Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka became President Uhuru’s defacto adviser on foreign policy.
ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has confirmed this through his statements. What is next for NASA remnants? Raila Odinga will be on the ballot in 2022. He is working on a fresh mega alliance to succeed Uhuru at the house on the hill. The strategy includes devising ways to nip DP William Ruto ambition in the bud.
Raila is a master coalition maker. He coined one National Rainbow Coalition that catapulted Mwai Kibaki to power in 2002.
He engineered another in 2007 that elevated him to Prime Minister. In 2013 and 2017, he assembled a juggernaut that sent shock waves down the collective spines of African leaders. Now he is forming another that targets Central and Rift Valley.
The aim is to land the ultimate prize and retire as an ex-President. Like a good tactician, Raila is adept at retiring politicians. He retired Najib Balala and replaced him with Ali Hassan Joho. He sent Ngilu packing and replaced her with Kalonzo. Can he now recruit new players for his world cup final political battle?
Raila does not capture political prisoners. He leaves them to heal, with a view to utilizing them in the future. Raila has since 2007 fought bitter political wars with DP Ruto. But there is no reason why they can’t work together should the need arise. One thing is clear.
Kenya will have a new President in 2022. And the new man or woman will not be from Mars. Raila and DP Ruto influence will decide who becomes Kenya’s next Chief of Defence forces.
One of these two will take the mantle so brace yourselves for a new Jubilee-NASA alliance.
