By Jamesa Wafula in Nairobi.
The honeymoon appears to be over for President William Ruto now navigating 100 days in office after bitter rival Raila Odinga announced a fresh round of street protests! Odinga, 78, has unveiled a raft of public rallies to protest the suspension of four Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EC) officials.President Ruto, 56, has suspended the four who on the eve of declaration of presidential results disowned the process and accused Chairman Wafula Chebukati of lone ranger tactics claiming there was nobody with 50 + 1 between front runners Raila and Ruto. They claimed the final tally had become “opaque”.The rebel commissioners led by vice chair M/S Cherera also supported Raila’s presidential petition challenging the victory of then “president elect” Ruto alleging widespread mischief.But the case fell flat on its face after all the seven judges of Kenya’s highest court roundly trashed it as hot air and upheld Ruto narrow victory against the man who had been widely tipped to win. It became one of the biggest political upsets in recent history with Ruto defying massive odds assembled by then President Uhuru Kenyatta who openly rooted for Raila.A devastated and disbelieving Odinga had to pack a case and head to Zanzibar for several days he said to cool off trying to come to terms with what had happened!Raila, 78, and now retired Uhuru, 61 had worked closely since the symbolic handshake truce outside Harambee house March 9 2018 ending deeply acrimonious 2017 presidential election.The IEBC result that had handed Uhuru victory was overturned in a landmark court ruling following Raila’s petition, the first in independent Africa for an incumbent president.But Odinga boycotted repeat polls ordered after 60 days but went ahead and swore himself in at Uhuru Park before a mammoth crowd of supporters as “people’s president.”Strangely President Kenyatta who earlier had ordered troops to surround the historic grounds and block any meeting removed the police overnight allowing Odinga to bask in glory.Odinga’s best chance ever to clinch political power since the botched 2007 chaotic presidential election was 2022 and many political commentators have been unable to explain Ruto’s surprise win while others say the poll was rigged.Backed by the incumbent, the system and deep state, Odinga still lost to Ruto in a nerve wracking contest that saw Kenyans spend sleepless nights following the close presidential result figures that kept oscillating.But on the eve before August 15, Ruto appeared to open a definite lead against Raila who had been repeatedly assured he was the next tenant at state house.Now Raila clearly aging and trying to stoke the flames of past popular uprising, few are taking his planned street protests seriously given the harsh economy.Many including his top aides have asked him to take a break and allow Kenya to settle from a tumultious election. Many have been heard saying if Odinga could still lose while backed by a seating president and state machinery, then he should forget his state house dreams or wait for 2027 when he will be 83 years of age ■
