Kimaiyo: How we pushed Raila to concede defeat in 2013

Constant threats of prosecution before the ICC forced opposition leaders led by Raila Odinga to concede the 2013 elections, former Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo has revealed. 

Speaking to the Star, Kimaiyo recounted the intrigues of powerful operatives working behind the scenes to forestall any riot or disruption of the peace after the March 4, 2013 polls. 

Unlike the 2007-08 polls when the police were caught off guard, Kimaiyo said, the police had meticulous contingency plans including putting the military on standby should any situation arise. 

"We had 2007-08 [post-poll violence] in mind as we went into 2013. We had to be meticulous this time around," he explained. 

Kimaiyo said that with his office just below  Raila's at the Harambee House Annex at the time, he would walk to him and constantly explain to him the need to accept the poll result or use the law in case he felt aggrieved. 

"I would walk into Raila's office frequently and remind him that the state was interested in peace more than anything else," he said. 

"I would also remind him repeatedly that if he or anybody around him caused violence, I would arrest him myself," the former IGP added. 

Kimaiyo said that at one point, he walked into Raila's office and found him  in a meeting with former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka alongside their lieutenants and reminded them that Kenya was under the global radar as ICC was looming large.

The ICC cases that Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto were battling provided good reinforcement to their message of fear to the politicians, hence deterrence, he said. 

Of immense interest, he said, was the overconfidence that the former PM had in winning the 2013 polls and that he even once forced himself into a transition planning meeting in Nyayo stadium. 

"Together with [former Head of Public Service] Francis Kimemia and top military generals, we had a meeting at Nyayo stadium, planning the swearing in and transition but he stormed in," he said. 

The ODM leader was offended that the transition team was designing the presidential flag for the eventual winner whoever that may have been without involving him.

"He complained that we were planning a flag and a swearing-in venue without taking into account the preference of the candidates. It was embarrassing because we repulsed him," he explained.

"This team was non-partisan and had people from all tribes. He was very embarrassed. How do you storm into people's meetings without being invited," Kimaiyo said. 

Kimaiyo said together with Kimemia, they insisted to the ODM leader that he had to win the elections first before being involved in any planning. 

Moreover, part of the strategy included occasionally insisting to presidential candidates that after their campaign addresses, they must emphasize the need for peace and unity. 

"I remember telling Uhuru Kenyatta that they should say whatever they wanted in the campaign stops but end with the message that Kenyans must stay together as brother and sister wherever they were," Kimaiyo said. 

Part of curtailing the speeches, he said, included telling the politicians to refrain from talking about land in the campaign trail as it was an emotive subject.

"We had to issue warnings to people like Orengo to stop talking about land in their campaigns as this would incite people," he said.

Land was a central subject in the 2013 polls as opponents accused Kenyatta of owning thousands of hectares that his father allegedly grabbed from people, especially at the Coast. 

Kimaiyo said that upon the declaration of the results, he repeatedly reminded Raila and his team that they were on the verge of being arrested should they incite their supporters to the streets.

"At one point I went into his office and I found him with Kalonzo Musyoka, Orengo, Muthama and others bitter. Muthama was crying uncontrollably like a child," he claimed. 

"I told them they had to accept the results or go to court," he said. 

Raila's Cord coalition petitioned the Supreme Court on the results but lost the case. 

"We constantly piled pressure on them to accept the court verdict and tell their people to move on. They had no option," he said.  

Kimaiyo opted for early retirement from the helm of the police in 2015 amidst accusations of incompetence.