Isaac Ruto won’t do much for Nasa coalition

Last Thursday, the country was held in an anxious moment, which is anything but unexpected in this electioneering period.

What of the unending wrangles that have characterised the so-called primaries in most of our political parties?

From the magical governor who went to bed a loser in nominations with results from five of the seven sub-counties in the county showing him trailing his competitor and vice chairman of his party but woke up a winner with a huge margin, to residents of six counties who went to the polling centres only to be informed that the exercise had been postponed by over seven days, the week was once long anxious one indeed.

But Thursday was the mother of them all.

The National Super Alliance, that conglomeration of individuals and parties hitherto in opposition and which promises to save the country from all its problems come August 8, pulled a new move on Kenyans.

A day before, the associations going by the acronym Nasa had gone into overdrive, promising Kenyans a “major” announcement on the material day.

A communications official from one of the member parties even labelled the Thursday meeting a “historic congress” at the Bomas of Kenya.

EVER-SHIFTING AGENDA

Now, nothing major nor historic came out of Bomas that day. Actually, a part from misleading media houses into skipping more important events and news items, and disappointing a few diehard supporters, the Nasa brigade was just in its element.

Of course, there were the usual egoistic harangues by the leaders and the attendant ululations from an obviously hypnotised if not paid-up crowd. But there was little news and no history-making declaration.

Then there was the “official” welcome of Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto to the Nasa principals club and the subsequent formation of a pentagon.

When Nasa was formed sometime last year, we were promised that four would become two. Instead, on Thursday, they gave us five. Not only has Nasa not managed to decide who will be the presidential and vice-presidential candidate from among four egos, they have now added a fifth.

Sometimes, agreeing on a time or place to meet to discuss these issues becomes elusive because one of the four always seems to have something better to do.

They are yet to explain how, if they can’t even manage to coordinate their schedules, these four are supposed to run a country.

Quite simply, the only thing Nasa has since achieved, apart from notoriety surrounding their now legendary indecision, is their name, and now to add Mr Ruto to the bickering quadrumvirate.

Before people think that this is a strange move, it is imperative to remember given trends around leading opposition figures over the last four years, it is actually a good fit for a group with an ever-shifting agenda.

Ruto’s inconsistency and indecisiveness fits well in Nasa. Only two months ago, he said: “The claims that I will join Nasa are incorrect.” Just a few years ago, Isaac Ruto and Raila Odinga were sworn enemies, constantly at odds.

SQUABBLING PARTIES

Now many opine he has been brought in to Nasa to usurp the other principals in order to shore up the candidacy of Odinga.

One sign that Ruto, Odinga and Nasa deserve each other is the fact that Ruto’s Chama Cha Mashinani party has now taken to emulating Odinga’s ODM by infighting as happened recently in Sigor, Bomet County.

ODM is, of course, the party whose supporters recently beat up their own party Executive Director Oduor Ong’wen, among many other regular pitched battles between differing factions of the party.

Moreover, Ruto and Odinga share more than a love of squabbling parties, with each having a very tawdry past on the corruption front.

Last year, Bomet County was fingered by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) as the third most corrupt county in the country. Soon after, MCAs in the county attempted to impeach him Governor Ruto for gross misconduct, gross violation of the Constitution and abuse of office, but did not succeed.

Upon its formation, on January 11, Nasa promised to be bigger and better than its predecessors. It has certainly kept the first of its promises and utterly failed by every measure on the second. There is something bigger than four egos, and that is five egos. Nasa has at last kept its word to Kenya.

Michael Cherambos is a social, political and economic commentator based in Nairobi. [email protected]