Former Prime Minister and Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga is at a crossroads in his political career. He has to choose between leading the Opposition from outside Parliament or walking away from politics and into some form of retirement. This week, he appeared to swing
The next few days will be critical, and it is not only political watchers who should have their eyes on the Supreme Court, where the petition challenging the election of William Ruto as President will be heard. Raila Odinga’s coalition has asked for a cocktail
William Ruto this week took to his new status with authority and political wiliness. In his first meeting with elected leaders and representatives from his coalition, he made assurances on the freedom of expression and association and sought to bring everybody together. Dr Ruto also
The Sentiment this week sought to analyse some of the institutions and individuals involved in the General Election and how they have emerged from the process. WINNERS IEBC Wafula Chebukati, the commission’s chairman, had a twinkle in his eye as he encouraged the public and
A combination of changes to electoral laws made after the elections in 2017 and the emphasis on traceability and verifiability of the polls have changed the way the results will be made public. In the week before the elections, the institution in charge has ramped
The electoral commission on Thursday invited the four presidential candidates for a consultative meeting over the printing of results forms. At the same time, rumours surfaced on social media and were subsequently shared through messaging apps, that the police had raided the headquarters of a
Nothing political on Twitter is spontaneous and it was therefore evident the Azimio Coalition was unhappy with the electoral commission on Friday. Singled out for criticism by affiliated individuals was Wafula Chebukati, the chairman of the commission, over the handling of three men who were
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission and interested stakeholders has ramped up activities to campaign for peace in areas of potential election-related violence. These activities are centred around Nakuru, Kisumu, Nandi, Isiolo and Marsabit counties and have the generous backing of non-governmental organisations, many of
One of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s targets, as he sought to establish his legacy after 10 years in charge, was to enhance the war on corruption. This week, about three weeks to the election, he appeared to make several steps back in that effort. First was
Despite its best efforts, and more than four years to get its act together, the electoral commission faces the same challenges it did in 2017 when it bore the embarrassment of the presidential election annulled. Perhaps the greatest failure has been in the management of
A combination of decisions this week have provided some relief and could reduce the political pressure on the administration as it sees out its last days in office. Via the Finance Act, the Treasury reduced the tax on cooking gas, giving consumers relief in the
A bank official testified this week that a company owned by former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu received kickbacks from a contractor. Using statements, cheques and other documentation, the Equity Bank employee said he helped investigators piece together the transactions showing Waititu received the money from
The Petroleum Principal Secretary, Mr Andrew Kamau, forgot that you “don’t joke with a hungry man” after his assertion this week that Kenyans are practically paying no taxes for fuel due to the subsidy to oil marketing funds caused an uproar. Still, the authorities have
There was a hint of desperation in Johnson Sakaja’s voice as he sought to drag President Kenyatta into the troubles over his degree that have bedevilled him to no end this week. Although he insisted that the President, who was once his benefactor, was behind
It will take a special process for the National Assembly to hold a sitting following last Thursday’s adjournment of its sittings indefinitely. Among the institutions that had hoped to have its issues resolved before the legislators effectively closed shop was the electoral commission, which had
The public camaraderie exhibited by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his estranged deputy William Ruto, during the annual National Prayer Breakfast on May 26, 2022, flickered out just four days later, during the Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1. During the annual National Prayer Breakfast day,
Rigathi Gachagua, William Ruto’s running mate, is reported to have caused disquiet within the Deputy President’s campaign team over a series of tactless remarks he has made since his appointment. The latest was made on Inooro FM earlier this week, where he suggested that a
In the days after they unveiled their choice of running mate, Raila Odinga and William Ruto have had the opportunity to sit back, watch the reactions and listen to feedback on their choices. Mr Odinga will be happy about what has been said of his
Impeached Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has been the cause of a small-scale storm in Raila Odinga’s Azimio coalition. It initially seemed that Sonko had retired to Mombasa as an entrepreneur. He runs a club in the coastal city that he has worked to popularize on
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission this week announced the start of the verification of the voters’ register, more than two months behind schedule. The commission, abbreviated IEBC, is traditionally kept on its toes by the political parties through their party leaders and stakeholders such
The camps of both leading presidential candidates put aside their rivalry this week to push a pliable electoral commission to extend the deadline for the submission of their running mates by 20 days. While the names of the candidates and their mates were originally scheduled
Faced with pressure from different directions over a decision on his running mate, Raila Odinga this week resorted to a politically secure method – having the decision determined by a committee. While it had always seemed like Kalonzo Musyoka would return to the spot beside
The reporting on the United Democratic Alliance nominations suggested that there was widespread chaos in parts of the 36 counties where the party headed by Deputy President William Ruto was holding its primaries. The party’s top officials and communication team were however happy that they
Raila Odinga endured a tough day on Thursday as he worked to convince parties in the coalition that he would continue to cater to their interests as the nominations ahead of the General Election begin. Mr Odinga would end up making a U-turn on a
Every party took something from the judgement by the Supreme Court that ended the journey for the bid to amend the Constitution that started with the Building Bridges Initiative. Those opposed to the bid, Deputy President William Ruto and the Kenya Kwanza group, took the
Martha Karua this week announced her decision to join Raila Odinga’s Azimio movement, ending weeks of speculation about her political direction. It was evident from Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria’s reaction that they had hoped to work with Ms Karua to deliver support for Deputy
As he travelled to the United Kingdom this week, Raila Odinga was hoping to outdo his main competitor, Deputy President William Ruto, but left behind a campaign in trouble just months to the elections. Mr Odinga’s biggest headaches come from: His running mate, Kalonzo Musyoka,
Deputy President William Ruto and his allies spent the past week in the Kiambu East region, starting from Thika earlier in the week and traversing through both Gatundu constituencies later. Dr Ruto has decided to take the President head-on after his erstwhile ally openly showed
Nick Salat, Kanu’s secretary-general, is not a diplomat. This was evident this week as he chided Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka for his apparent indecision over whether to join Raila Odinga’s Azimio. Mr Musyoka was initially thought to be a shoo-in to join Mr Odinga,
With less than six months to the General Election, peace stakeholders have sprung into action in efforts to prevent election-related violence. Last Tuesday, the National Cohesion and Integrated Commission and the United Nations hosted the Uwiano Platform for Peace; Strategic Coordination and Peace. The event
All along, it had seemed to Raila Odinga and his supporters that Kalonzo Musyoka would easily agree to cross over and accept to be his running mate, but things have changed drastically. This week, Mr Musyoka revealed to the public an agreement struck between the
Deputy President William Ruto has rattled his competitors with the news that he will this weekend embark on a 10-day tour of the United States of America and the United Kingdom. According to his Head of International Relations, Ababu Namwamba, Dr Ruto is scheduled to
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s third big meeting at Sagana State Lodge went as widely expected. He castigated his deputy for starting his campaigns earlier than necessary, denying knowledge of the Handshake before it happened and then suggested that he had been involved in corruption before he
Raila Odinga returned from a 10-day tour to an opinion poll saying that Peter Kenneth would be his best bet for running mate. On the other hand, according to a poll by The Star, Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua is the right man for Deputy President
Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka was earlier this week given the greenlight by his Wiper party to negotiate pre-election deals. Not that he needed permission, as he has nevertheless been approached and is still in the One Kenya Alliance (OKA), but he has over time
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has sparked a fresh round of controversy in political circles just after the fight over the law determining how coalitions are formed ended. The electoral commission has proposed changes to the Elections Act, with the apparently most controversial
In the months before he announced an alliance with Deputy President William Ruto, Musalia Mudavadi had been working to change his profile. He had become more assertive and angled his messaging towards the economy and reminding Kenyans that it was when he joined the Treasury
Jimi Wanjigi has since mid-2021 been vocal about his bid to become a presidential candidate, but the last week has made that ambitious idea fade into the background. The decision by a court to free him as it verifies the orders of another court preventing
While The Standard had published a story about it before, the visit by activists Boniface Mwangi and Hussein Khalid to the banks of River Yala have once again thrown the spotlight on suspected extrajudicial killings in Kenya. The activists reported that since July 2021, a
Journalists have been wary about exploring the story of the abduction, torture and hospitalization of Dennis Itumbi, who now works as a digital strategist for Deputy President William Ruto. Keen to use the opportunity provided by his story, Mr Itumbi has decided to dole out
The potential to create conflict and its harmful effects was evident this week when Meru Senator Mithika Linturi used a metaphor that was previously used to mark subjects for elimination at a public rally. For those who can remember, “madoadoa” in a political context refers
Every day over the past two weeks, the Deputy President’s schedule is sent out by his communication team. His weekly schedule is released at the start of every week to media houses and also distributed via WhatsApp, mostly to journalists’ groups, which ensures that any
Plans by the Jubilee Party to hold a National Delegates Convention late November died with a whimper and without an explanation. It was reported that the plans collapsed after a consideration was made that with more than 100 MPs having left the party for the
Ahead of the much-hyped ‘big announcement’ by Raila Odinga on Friday, December 10, the team organizing the event at the stadium in Kasarani, Nairobi, were worried. While the event’s outcome was known well in advance, there were hitches evident in the fact that none of
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party is set to hold its National Delegates Congress on November 30, a significant meeting for the party whose future has been in doubt since the fallout of its principals. Orange Democratic Movement boss Raila Odinga will be joined by Kalonzo
