On May 2, 2018, the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General, Francis Atwoli, rattled Kenyans after he stated that President Uhuru Kenyatta was too young to retire when his second term comes to an end in August this year.
Uhuru, however, insisted that he would retire but his allies led by Atwoli and the Jubilee Vice Chair, David Murathe, maintained that he would not exit the political arena.
The succession politics quickly shifted after the President endorsed his political foe turned ally and handshake partner, Raila Odinga, for the presidency. The Head of State indicated that he would have a say in Raila's campaigns.
This was confirmed on Thursday, April 14, when he was gazetted as the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party's chair, a post he will use to chant the way forward in his succession politics.
Prior to this gazettement, it was clear from the word go that Uhuru wielded more power in the formation of the coalition. This was highlighted by Wiper party leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, who insisted that the President leads negotiations between him and Raila.
The President had taken the centre stage in building an alliance that will see Raila assume power in his fifth stab at the presidency, and at the same time crush the aspirations of his ally turned foe, Deputy President William Ruto.
As the Azimio's Coalition Council Chair, Uhuru will lead the twelve-member council, the final decision-making body of the coalition party. Raila, by virtue of being gazetted as the Party Leader of the Coalition Party, becomes a common member of the council.
The President will also lead the council in formulating principles governing how the government will be organised should the coalition win the August 9 elections. These principles will include the power-sharing formulas.
He will also lead the coalition in setting guidelines to govern the party, crafting and amending policies and the removal and inclusion of members in the coalition and overseeing the coalition’s constitution.
This means that within the party, Raila will be limited to making some decisions as the National Executive Committee - the party's governing body, will be answering to the Uhuru-led council.
Gideon Moi of KANU, Narc's Charity Ngilu, Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho, Suna East MP Junet Mohammed and Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege were also gazetted as council members.
Others are Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka and Martha Karua of Narc-Kenya. These two have also been fronted as possible Raila’s running mate in the coalition.
