Orange Democratic Movement Party (ODM) Leader has left many guessing his next political move, as political analysts hint at his next strategy after the Building Bridges Initiative(BBI) agenda.
According to various media reports, Raila may give up his presidential ambitions and grasp at the Prime Minister slot if the BBI sails through, even as others remain adamant that he will seek to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke on Wednesday, March 17, political analysts Mark Bichache and Dr. Jane Thuo broke down the next plot for Raila, and why he may ultimately give up the Presidency seat.
Jane Thuo, a lecturer at the University of Nairobi, agreed that Raila may opt for the Prime Minister slot due to the powers that come with the position.
"I believe he would opt for the Prime Minster slot instead of the hotly contested Presidential seat due to a number of factors including his age," she stated.
According to the BBI bill, the Prime Minister will be the leader of government business in the National Assembly whose core function will be to oversee government legislative function and supervise operations in the Ministries and State departments.
Thuo reckoned that Raila would be comfortable as he had held the same position before from 2008 to 2013 during the coalition government with former President Mwai Kibaki.
Further, she added that the age factor would come into play given that he is 76 years of age, and campaigns are often rigorous undertakings.
Her sentiments were echoed by Kitutu Chache South MP Richard Onyonka of Ford Kenya who affirmed that Raila's influence had gained him massive popularity among many Kenyans hence he has the advantage to seek any position.
"At the end, we are likely to have two or three formations ahead of the General elections. Raila could be comfortable with the Prime Minster's position because he has held the same office before," Onyonka stated.
However, Mark Bichachi disputed the claims arguing that this would be unrealistic as he's among the most senior politicians.
"The best thing Raila can do is to form a coalition and run for Presidency, or if not, he can become the leader of the opposition," Bichache stated.
Further, Bichache noted that for Raila to become PM, he has to become a Member of Parliament, get appointed by the President and subject to confirmation by the National Assembly.
Both analysts, however, agreed on that there might be a possible chance of the unusual alliance between Raila and Deputy President William Ruto before the 2022 elections arguing that the political scene is subject to change.
"In politics, we say survival is everything, so one cannot rule out the likely alliance between the two (Ruto and Raila). For instance, the handshake agreement between Raila and Uhuru shocked many in 2018," Bichache noted.
On whether Uhuru would opt for the Prime Minister slot, Bichache argued that Uhuru's next plot after presidency would be to either seek a position at the African Union or any other international organization.
