Uhuru and Raila in dilemma over Waiguru woes

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition chief Raila Odinga are in a dilemma over how to tackle the impeachment of Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.

Uhuru and Raila are faced with the difficulty of allowing Waiguru's impeachment and lose a reliable handshake crusader or save her and erode their anti-graft credentials.

Seen as the face of the Building Bridges Initiative in Mt Kenya, Waiguru's impeachment would deal a blow to the BBI campaign.

Until the "BBI reggae" was halted by the coronavirus pandemic, the campaign had elevated Waiguru as a key handshake pillar from Mount Kenya region.

She had become a big player of the referendum push in President Uhuru's Mt Kenya turf as she joined forces with Kieleweke wing of Jubilee party to fend off anti-BBI forces.

However, on June 9, 23 of Kirinyaga County Assembly's 33 MCAs voted to impeach the governor over gross-misconduct and abuse of office charges.

The 67-member Senate largely dominated by allies of Uhuru and Raila has 10 days to make a decision after conducting hearings on Waiguru's removal from office.

This would be the third impeachment motion to be brought to the Senate since the 2017 polls. Senators rejected MCAs impeachment of Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja last year but approved the impeachment of Kiambu's Ferdinand Waititu in January.

Should the President and the former PM throw their weight behind efforts to save Waiguru, that would expose their soft-underbelly in the war against graft as Uhuru fights for a legacy.

The President has previously promised not to defend any "ally, friend or relative" accused of corruption while Raila's political history is ridden with strong anti-graft rhetoric.

On Monday, former State House comptroller and ex-Cabinet Minister Franklin Bett warned that Waiguru's situation portends far-reaching political ramifications for Uhuru and Raila.

“They will burn their fingers. They are in an awkward situation but doomed if they look the other way and save her,” Bett told the Star.

The former Bureti MP suggested that both Uhuru and Raila should stay away from the impeachment motion and allow her to go through the due process without influencing the outcome.

Political analyst Macharia Munene admitted that Waiguru's matter has far-reaching political implications and a bearing on Uhuru's legacy plan which includes the fight against corruption.

The United States Internal University professor of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations predicted that because of the conflicts involved in the matter, Uhuru would keep quiet as the issue is a “conflict of two rights.”

Munene said given that Interior PS Karanja Kibicho who is close to the President had been reported as having some interest in Kirinyaga politics, Uhuru will play safe.

“The President will stay aloof in one way or the other,” he said noting that instead, Uhuru might allow Raila's ODM brigade to take the lead in Waiguru's defence.

“Given that ODM has a lot of influence in national politics, Waiguru will be let go. It is a political decision at the end of the day.”

Today, the Senate will hold a session to make a final decision on the route of Waiguru's impeachment motion-either through plenary or a committee of the house.

Senators are already divided on which way for the motion amid claims that the committee route where a few senators will probe the matter is being backed by forces scheming to save Waiguru.

Senators allied to Deputy President William Ruto, who suffered following Uhuru's ruthless purge in the House, have warned of behind-the-scenes schemes to salvage Waiguru.

On Monday Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika, a key ally of Ruto, told the Star that there are “shenanigans happening in the back end” to defeat justice.

“I am hopeful that the Senate, given the space it needs and deserves, would be able to carry out a very fair process to both the governor and the people of Kirinyaga,” Kihika said.

Waiguru is alleged to have held talks with Raila in her efforts to lobby for support from senators allied to the Opposition leader ahead of the impeachment proceedings.

However, Raila has denied holding a meeting with Waiguru to deliberate on his intervention to save her from the guillotine that will dim her political career.

Wajir Senator Abdullahi Ibrahim vouched for the plenary route in deciding Waiguru's fate arguing that the committee way would be fraught with 'machinations' that could defeat justice.

“I’m for plenary. The last time we argued on this issue and settled on the best way to know what people feel. It is good for the people of Kenya,” Ibrahim said.

But nominated Senator Rose Nyamunga, an ally of Raila, backed a committee way saying it would be best placed to go through the allegations with “a toothcomb.”

“This case should not be a woman-man thing. It should be about doing the right thing. I have confidence in the leadership of women. Waiguru should be given a chance,” Nyamunga said.

She said that given Waiguru's impeachment was done even before the EACC did investigations and produced some evidence, like in the matter of Waititu, it would require thorough investigations by a committee.

“It would mean that the Senate will have to look at the evidence to verify. Whichever way the Senate decides is okay but the problem with the plenary is that people will not find time to go through the allegations,” she said.

She, however, denied that Raila has whipped them to support Waiguru by voting against the impeachment motion.

Raila's daughter Rosemary Odinga, asked leaders not to play the gender card in the impeachment of Waiguru.

In an interview with a local television station on Sunday, Rosemary said the appropriate institutions should be allowed to handle the matter instead of hiding under one’s gender.

She said that women leaders should be subjected to the same treatment as male counterparts.

“We have had male governors accused of almost similar charges and you have not seen men coming up saying that they are standing up for their male counterparts,” Rosemary said.

“I think when we focus too much on the fact that she is a woman and not listen to what the accusation is about then we lose forest focusing on the tree.”

Waiguru is a passionate proponent of the BBI, the brainchild of Uhuru and Raila.

Analysts argue that her allegiance to the BBI process could save her in the Senate where Uhuru and Raila have a firm footing of political soldiers.

However, Raila who desperately needs Mt Kenya to vote for him in 2022 and has identified Waiguru as his key ally in the region, is faced with a political quagmire.

Raila has already been accused by a section of politicians allied to Ruto of 'laundering' corrupt politicians in his Capital Hill offices for political allegiance.

Ruto's allies have claimed that while Raila has previously held a strong view of not associating with those alleged to be corrupt, he has turned around and nowadays praises the same leaders he previous rebuked.

Edited by P.O