Commentaries
WHY UHURU IS THE PRESIDENT'S CHOICE
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 09:27
He assumed the top office for ninety days before calling for a presidential election. Now, Ninety days is enough time for a presiding president to foster a remarkable influence among the electorate by launching a super charged campaign bolstered with a battery of advantages that no doubt elevate an incumbent's odds to win the presidential election.
Having been there and done it, President Moi knows too well about the political leverage and mileage vested in the constitution which grants the Vice President power to assume the top job for ninety days before calling for elections. With this knowledge it's clear, he wants to eradicate any possibility of Professor Saitoti becoming president.
On extrapolation, Moi took nearly a year after winning the 1997 elections, before he reappointed professor Saitoti as Vice president. He humiliated him at Kasarani, when he excluded him from his short list of the five potential successors namely Uhuru Kenyatta, Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo musyoka, and Katana Ngala. Did the first name George disqualify him, since all qualifiers, seem to go by African names or is this a mere coincidence? We may never know, but if the instances are anything to go by, President Moi has his reservation when it comes to the Possibility that Saitoti might fuata his Nyayo and rise to the presidency in a manner that replicates his.
I raked my brains tortuously in an attempt to find any ray of brilliance in the President's latest actions and all I came out with was a bad headache and a conclusion that the President had lost his magic touch, on the political chase board or he's at his best, playing with near superhuman abilities that are beyond the understanding of common mortals.
One has to wonder whether, it's within the interest of Kenyans that President Moi saw fit to endorse Mr. Kenyatta and subsequently follow to fire his Vice president or he's doing all this for selfish motives at the expense a country that really needs to change for better and better.
Fingers point to selfish motives and accusation of running the ruling party like a private company. How else can one explain the rate at which the president is sacking his cabinet ministers, with the latest deposing being that one of Mr. Peter Odoyo the assistant minister for foreign affairs for allegedly threatening to clean the dirty laundry of Uhuru Kenyatta's student days, in Public. Don't people have a right to know the moral fiber of their potential leader so they can make an informed choice? Isn't that what democracy and freedom of speech is all about?
It's easy to argue that, President Moi is returning a favor to the deceased daddy by endorsing his son, Uhuru Kenyatta, in view of the fact that Mzee Kenyatta stopped the likes of Kihika Kimani from a fervent, ill-intended campaign to amend the constitution, to block him from becoming President. You can also be excused to say, Moi is exercising his democratic right to support and endorse someone he's comfortable with, just like any other registered voter.
Kenyans would buy it, if only they didn't know whom they are dealing with. Come on, this is Moi we're talking about not any other registered voter. If he is so sincere, why are ministers getting fired simply because they do not support his choice of a successor? Loyalty to the family of the late Kenyatta is a smoking screen, and I know this because he has time and again fired and gotten even with the most loyal people to him. So, loyalty is not one word Moi takes very seriously as to use it to impose a leader on Kenyans.
What is it then? What is he dashing behind the smoking screen? He wants to rule Kenya from the back stage; he wants to be the director and producer of the Post Moi era. That is why qualified and experienced candidates find themselves not qualified for the top job. Moi needs a rookie, a political neophyte who is without charisma, or an independent mind, someone who will know deep down that it's only because of his grace that he is President and therefore pay him the respect and reverence he deserves.
If Uhuru prevails as Moi has promised, you can bet Moi will remain to be party chairman and a close presidential adviser. Now that is what we call a Presidential retirement plan.
