Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka held talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta , and his deputy William Ruto. I think it is important that we have a healthy,strong, opposition. Looks like they are all sharing some joke,
unlike this photo
Salim Lone has said that Raila Odinga will be focusing on building a national movement.
Like Onyango Oloo, I found the supreme court ruling a slap in the face.
I wait to see the the poll petiton verdict on Tuesday. I don't see how it will help anybody,as the ruling was made, end of.
Update: Relevant article Uhuru offers Raila special envoy post
Update two: Relevant articles attorney General misled Supreme court on doctrine of invalidation of elections by James Gondi.
An excerpt from that article
unlike this photo
Salim Lone has said that Raila Odinga will be focusing on building a national movement.
Like Onyango Oloo, I found the supreme court ruling a slap in the face.
I wait to see the the poll petiton verdict on Tuesday. I don't see how it will help anybody,as the ruling was made, end of.
Update: Relevant article Uhuru offers Raila special envoy post
Update two: Relevant articles attorney General misled Supreme court on doctrine of invalidation of elections by James Gondi.
An excerpt from that article
It is not in dispute that there were
violations of electoral laws by the IEBC. The petitioners applied
legitimate audio visual means to demonstrate these illegalities and
further adduced incontrovertible evidence to demonstrate this fact. The
court appears to have ignored this evidence and chartered the easier
path towards the net effect of these violations of electoral law on the
actual outcome of the elections.
Perhaps the court subconsciously took into account the socio-political effects of an invalidation of an election result and chose the more conservative path as advanced by the AG. Indeed, the law does not exist in a vacuum and the court may have been persuaded to apply the more conservative case law which says that even after establishing flagrant violations of the law, the petitioners must show that without these violations, a considerably different result would have emerged from the electoral process.
The doctrine of substantial effect on the result even though outdated and controverted may have been a safer way out for the court given the socio political and economic dynamics at play. After all, many in Kenya, especially the middle class and business community had taken the position that the country must move forward notwithstanding their dissatisfaction with the electoral process.
In addition to the desire to move on with life and business, despite the injustices by the electoral management body, the tension between peace and justice came into play behind the scenes. It was feared by the political establishment that an invalidation of the result would have led to widespread violence. Given that the courts operate in society, they may have been swayed towards this narrative and chose to abandon the established violation of law standard and adopt the inferior doctrine of substantial effect on results as part of a political calculation to avoid perceived violence and the detrimental economic effects of invalidation of the election results.
The effect of the electoral malpractices and upholding the result leaves the country balkanised along ethnic lines depending on their desired outcome and taking into account the gross irregularities. One half of the country feels disenfranchised and that their right to vote has been infringed by legitimising the failure of the election management body to abide by its laws and regulations.
The other half of the country is ecstatic about its coalition ascending to power despite flagrant breaches of the law. The result is that electoral malpractice, irregularity and illegality have been legitimised and any party to future electoral contests will have to either be complicit in the violation of election laws or become the victim of such violation. The disenfranchisement of voters is also an outcome which may lead the populace to significantly diminish its participation in future electoral processes.
More significantly, confidence in electoral justice has diminished while apathy and ambivalence has begun to take root. The gains made after 2007 through the partial implementation of new electoral laws and regulations suggested by the Kriegler report are on the verge of being lost. The courts and the electoral management body will have an uphill task in motivating public participation in elections and dispute resolution. The court had a duty to restore the integrity of elections which the electoral management body has distorted.
The writer is a Program Advisor at the Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG) which challenged the outcome of the March 4 presidential election.
Update three Relevant article: Details of Uhuru Raila State house meet
Some quotes from the article below
Speaking in Khwisero constituency on Saturday during the burial of Mama Ellena Andayi, mother to area lawmaker Benjamin Andola, Raila told supporters he had warned Uhuru and Ruto against buying members of his team to their side. ?
“I met with the two and we discussed how we shall operate. I cautioned them against buying my team and instead I told them to work on one side and we work on the other. We have to have two teams – one the opposition and their side,” he affirmed.
Speaking after State House meeting, Raila also divulged that he had turned down an offer by Jubilee Government to serve as special envoy asserting that he had a lot of work to do. Instead, Raila said he would strengthen his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party and CORD.
courtesy call
In its statement to the Press, the PPS referred to the meeting as “a courtesy call” by Raila and Kalonzo to President Kenyatta and his Deputy Ruto.
“During the meeting, the CORD leaders conveyed their message of goodwill to the President and his deputy saying they wished them well in running the country,” read the statement. ? In contrast, the statement from Raila’s aide was more specific about the “real issues” discussed.
Raila and Kalonzo raised concerned about the quest by Jubilee to take control of House committees and thereby denying the minority party a critical role in key committees such as Accounts and Investments.
“President Kenyatta and Deputy President Ruto pledged that the Jubilee Coalition, which commands majority in both Houses, is committed to ensuring the existence of a strong opposition party, as a necessary tool for democratisation and to ensure steady check on Government,” said the statement from Raila.
And following the gesture by Uhuru and Ruto to include some members of Raila’s CORD team in Government, the former PM and VP are said to have presented a case for tribal and regional balance in Cabinet and other senior Government appointments.
Similar sentiments were made by former Attorney General Amos Wako, who asked President Kenyatta, a day before he was sworn-in to office, to absorb members of other communities –including those who did not vote for him – in senior Government positions.
Separately, a source allied to Jubilee Coalition and privy to the State House meeting, confided that Raila and Kalonzo also raised concerns over their personal security.
“Although promising to look into the matter and push for their case, President Kenyatta advised that the security demand was solely under the prerogative of another independent official – the Inspector General of Police,” says our source.
It was agreed, however, that this demand would be addressed anyway, considering that a precedent had been set as the Ninth Vice-President, Moody Awori, was enjoying a 24-hour security presence at his Nairobi and Gulamwoyo homes in Busia County.
And while appreciating the good gesture by the top political leaders to reach out to one another, Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo reads politics in On Saturday’s State House meeting.
According to the two-term MP, Uhuru and Ruto have been in politics fairly long enough and can therefore not underestimate Raila’s political might and shrewdness.
“They want to get close because they realise they cannot wish away a man who got over 5.3 million votes.
The country is virtually split into two and it will be politically dangerous if such a huge proportion of Kenyans were to become skeptical of Uhuru’s leadership,” he said.
However, Senator of Machakos County, Johnston Muthama hopes that Uhuru and Ruto are genuine about their overtures.
Perhaps the court subconsciously took into account the socio-political effects of an invalidation of an election result and chose the more conservative path as advanced by the AG. Indeed, the law does not exist in a vacuum and the court may have been persuaded to apply the more conservative case law which says that even after establishing flagrant violations of the law, the petitioners must show that without these violations, a considerably different result would have emerged from the electoral process.
The doctrine of substantial effect on the result even though outdated and controverted may have been a safer way out for the court given the socio political and economic dynamics at play. After all, many in Kenya, especially the middle class and business community had taken the position that the country must move forward notwithstanding their dissatisfaction with the electoral process.
In addition to the desire to move on with life and business, despite the injustices by the electoral management body, the tension between peace and justice came into play behind the scenes. It was feared by the political establishment that an invalidation of the result would have led to widespread violence. Given that the courts operate in society, they may have been swayed towards this narrative and chose to abandon the established violation of law standard and adopt the inferior doctrine of substantial effect on results as part of a political calculation to avoid perceived violence and the detrimental economic effects of invalidation of the election results.
The effect of the electoral malpractices and upholding the result leaves the country balkanised along ethnic lines depending on their desired outcome and taking into account the gross irregularities. One half of the country feels disenfranchised and that their right to vote has been infringed by legitimising the failure of the election management body to abide by its laws and regulations.
The other half of the country is ecstatic about its coalition ascending to power despite flagrant breaches of the law. The result is that electoral malpractice, irregularity and illegality have been legitimised and any party to future electoral contests will have to either be complicit in the violation of election laws or become the victim of such violation. The disenfranchisement of voters is also an outcome which may lead the populace to significantly diminish its participation in future electoral processes.
More significantly, confidence in electoral justice has diminished while apathy and ambivalence has begun to take root. The gains made after 2007 through the partial implementation of new electoral laws and regulations suggested by the Kriegler report are on the verge of being lost. The courts and the electoral management body will have an uphill task in motivating public participation in elections and dispute resolution. The court had a duty to restore the integrity of elections which the electoral management body has distorted.
The writer is a Program Advisor at the Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG) which challenged the outcome of the March 4 presidential election.
Update three Relevant article: Details of Uhuru Raila State house meet
Some quotes from the article below
Speaking in Khwisero constituency on Saturday during the burial of Mama Ellena Andayi, mother to area lawmaker Benjamin Andola, Raila told supporters he had warned Uhuru and Ruto against buying members of his team to their side. ?
“I met with the two and we discussed how we shall operate. I cautioned them against buying my team and instead I told them to work on one side and we work on the other. We have to have two teams – one the opposition and their side,” he affirmed.
Speaking after State House meeting, Raila also divulged that he had turned down an offer by Jubilee Government to serve as special envoy asserting that he had a lot of work to do. Instead, Raila said he would strengthen his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party and CORD.
courtesy call
In its statement to the Press, the PPS referred to the meeting as “a courtesy call” by Raila and Kalonzo to President Kenyatta and his Deputy Ruto.
“During the meeting, the CORD leaders conveyed their message of goodwill to the President and his deputy saying they wished them well in running the country,” read the statement. ? In contrast, the statement from Raila’s aide was more specific about the “real issues” discussed.
Raila and Kalonzo raised concerned about the quest by Jubilee to take control of House committees and thereby denying the minority party a critical role in key committees such as Accounts and Investments.
“President Kenyatta and Deputy President Ruto pledged that the Jubilee Coalition, which commands majority in both Houses, is committed to ensuring the existence of a strong opposition party, as a necessary tool for democratisation and to ensure steady check on Government,” said the statement from Raila.
And following the gesture by Uhuru and Ruto to include some members of Raila’s CORD team in Government, the former PM and VP are said to have presented a case for tribal and regional balance in Cabinet and other senior Government appointments.
Similar sentiments were made by former Attorney General Amos Wako, who asked President Kenyatta, a day before he was sworn-in to office, to absorb members of other communities –including those who did not vote for him – in senior Government positions.
Separately, a source allied to Jubilee Coalition and privy to the State House meeting, confided that Raila and Kalonzo also raised concerns over their personal security.
“Although promising to look into the matter and push for their case, President Kenyatta advised that the security demand was solely under the prerogative of another independent official – the Inspector General of Police,” says our source.
It was agreed, however, that this demand would be addressed anyway, considering that a precedent had been set as the Ninth Vice-President, Moody Awori, was enjoying a 24-hour security presence at his Nairobi and Gulamwoyo homes in Busia County.
And while appreciating the good gesture by the top political leaders to reach out to one another, Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo reads politics in On Saturday’s State House meeting.
According to the two-term MP, Uhuru and Ruto have been in politics fairly long enough and can therefore not underestimate Raila’s political might and shrewdness.
“They want to get close because they realise they cannot wish away a man who got over 5.3 million votes.
The country is virtually split into two and it will be politically dangerous if such a huge proportion of Kenyans were to become skeptical of Uhuru’s leadership,” he said.
However, Senator of Machakos County, Johnston Muthama hopes that Uhuru and Ruto are genuine about their overtures.
No comments:
Post a Comment