Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru becomes the most prominent figure to address reports that Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga was set to join President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration in a formal role after the Covid-19 pandemic was dealt with.
She stated that the creation of a coalition government had been inevitable since Uhuru's famous March 9, 2018 handshake with Raila after a disputed Presidential election threatened to split the country apart in 2017.
With a perceived rift between Deputy President William Ruto and Uhuru, Waiguru also spoke on Ruto's potential role in such an arrangement, stating that it would be determined by the principal players; Uhuru, and Ruto's political nemesis, Raila.
"Yes, there is such a plan," Waiguru was quoted telling Sunday Nation on Sunday, April 26.
"Once the president entered into the handshake deal with Mr. Odinga, it was just a matter of time before this was actualised for the benefit of the nation
"As for the DP, only himself and his relationship with the principal players will determine his best-role for the country's overall benefit in such an arrangement," she asserted.
Talk of a coalition government had been sparked by earlier comments from Jubilee Party Vice-Chairman David Murathe, a close ally of Uhuru, who explained that it was his belief that the country would need a government of national unity to bring people together as one way of rebuilding the economy after the pandemic.
"This country cannot work when you have this kind of antagonism and when you have some people whose only focus is 2022. The Deputy President only woke up when he felt his position in Jubilee is threatened.
"The former Prime Minister is a special envoy for the African Union on infrastructure which is a key part in connecting Africa and infrastructure. So in whatever we say, he has a role to play in the recovery of the economy after the Coronavirus crisis," Murathe told reporters after a meeting with Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli and Raila at Idamat, Kajiado on Monday, April 13.
Speaking to this writer on April 16, renowned political analyst and University of Nairobi (UoN) professor Herman Manyora had argued that Kenyans were being prepared for a coalition government.
He was responding to queries made by Kenyans.co.ke after Raila controversially issued a directive to the Governor Mike Sonko-led Nairobi County Government after a meeting at his office with Nairobi Metropolitan Services Director-General Major-General Mohammed Badi and County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi.
"I think it looks like we're being prepared for this. There are two catalysts; the first is the Coronavirus situation in the country which requires all hands on deck. In times like this, the government works together with the opposition.
"For example during the Westgate terror attack in 2013 things were very hot politically, but you saw the opposition led by Raila working together with the government. So they would probably be working together anyway, this is war and during war people pull together.
"The second catalyst is the rift between Uhuru and Ruto in Jubilee. It's reached a point where we can't even call it a widening rift anymore because of how far it has gone. The differences have gotten to a point where Uhuru and Ruto are practically irreconcilable," he noted
Manyora stated his belief that Uhuru had found himself needing to lean on Raila more, particularly with a majority of lawmakers elected on Jubilee Party tickets openly allied to Ruto.
In particular, he referenced a move by 146 Jubilee legislators to write to the Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu protesting changes to the National Management Committee (NMC) of the party which were sanctioned by officials allied to Uhuru.
"Uhuru needs someone to help him and that's where Raila comes in. Raila joining the government was always on the cards, the question was whether to do it mid-stream or wait until 2022.
"Let me give you a good example, almost 150 Jubilee MPs have written to the Registrar backing Ruto who is fighting to control the party. If Raila didn't come in to support Uhuru with the opposition numbers in Parliament, don't you think it would have been a problem for Uhuru?
"This thing was always going to happen but these two catalysts mean Uhuru has found himself needing to lean on Raila more and more, and that is now what we are witnessing," he explained.
