Our deal is not about 2022, say Uhuru, Raila

President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) talks with ODM leader Raila Odinga during the commemoration of politician Kenneth Matiba at Ihura Stadium, Murang'a County, on April 26, 2018. PHOTO | PSCU 

In Summary

• Mr Odinga said their talks were centred around divisive elections, ending tribalism, improving security and the fight against corruption.
• Mr Odinga had, during his address at the devolution conference, called for a review of the law to create a three-tier government.

By NATION TEAM
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President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga yesterday criticised those who are
opposed to their unity deal which, they said, had nothing to do with 2022 succession politics.

The leaders, who said they are united in creating a new path for the country, spoke in Murang’a just hours after Deputy President William Ruto tore into a proposal by Mr Odinga to amend the Constitution to create more posts and regions.

The President and Mr Odinga said their formula for working together was not pegged on the 2022 succession politics and that those linking the March 9 unity deal to succession politics are wrong.

“Our unity deal is not about 2022. There will be 2022, 2027 up to the next decade. Let us leave this politics aside and focus on what matters to our people,” President Kenyatta, who is expected to leave office in 2022 when his second term ends, said.

POLITICAL WILL

Politics on his succession has started in earnest in both Jubilee and Nasa with Mr Ruto emerging as a frontrunner to succeed him.

“We looked for each other and agreed to unite for the sake of this country. We could not continue to fight.

"Not very many were pleased with our unity deal but ni shauri yao (that is their problem). I will continue working with Mr Odinga and urge other people to join us,”President Kenyatta said, adding that the solution to the country’s problems is not changing the Constitution but political goodwill.

They spoke at Ihura Stadium in Murang’a during a funeral service for multiparty crusader Kenneth Matiba.

“Ata tukiandikiana mikataba ngapi, tuandike constitution leo au kesho kama nia haipo ya kutenda yale mema haitawezekana (No matter how many times you change the constitution, there must be goodwill from everyone for the country to hold together.),” he said.

PRIORITIES
Speaking at the same service, Mr Odinga said their deal was not about 2022 although he had a different version of how the handshake came to be.

“The President reached out to me after the controversial elections and we decided to unite the country. This was not about 2022,” he said.

He said their talks were centred around divisive elections, ending tribalism, improving security and the fight against corruption.

But as the two leaders waxed lyrical about their deal, differences are boiling over between the National Super Alliance and Jubilee Party over plans to amend the constitution.

Hours before Mr Matiba’s funeral service, Mr Ruto and Mr Odinga were trading barbs over law reforms.

BOMAS DRAFT
Mr Odinga had, during his address at the devolution conference on Wednesday, called for a review of the law to create a three-tier government consisting of the national government, provincial one divided into 14 regions and counties.

He said the current sizes of counties are not economically viable.

“The Bomas Draft Constitution divided Kenya into 14 regions, each made up of several districts.

"The intention was to create units with the size and population that make them economically viable,” Mr Odinga said.

But speaking at the same conference yesterday during the closing ceremony, Mr Ruto argued that the motive behind Mr Odinga’s plan is to give power to certain people at the top as opposed to supporting counties.

GOVERNANCE
DP Ruto accused the ODM leader of engaging in idle talk and excelling in blaming others for his political failures.

“If there is going to be a suggestion on arranging or rearranging of devolution, it cannot be the creation of another layer of government,” he said.

Mr Ruto accused Mr Odinga of finding excuses whenever systems were against him, adding:

“The challenge we have in this country is what the Chinese said that a bad workman quarrels with his tools.”

“If someone is a bad workman, he will try to blame ... it is the Constitution which is the problem or it is devolution which is the problem ... county assembly or this or that,” he said.

However, he said he is not opposed to the ongoing debate concerning the structure of the executive, saying it should be done but without reference to a referendum which, he noted, could be costly to the taxpayer.

ODM
However, ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna and National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohamed dismissed Mr Ruto’s assertions, saying they were borne out of a permanent desire to challenge everything Mr Odinga stands for.

Mr Sifuna said the question on the challenges facing devolution had formed part of the conversation leading to the signing of the MoU between Mr Odinga and President Kenyatta.

“If Mr Ruto has any question on the issue our party leader raised yesterday, he should pick it up with the President who signed the agreement on behalf of Jubilee Party.

"Is he, by any chance, attacking the President’s signature on the document?” he asked, noting that Mr Odinga was merely echoing what was agreed between the two leaders.

Reported by Aggrey Mutambo, Grace Gitau, Ndung’u Gachane and Ibrahim Oruko