By Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press – Kenya. In just a few days after Kenya’s general elections that took place on 9th August 2022, more than 7 Members of Parliament have crossed from Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja coalition to William Ruto President-elect’s Kenya Kwanza.
On Monday 15th August 2022, Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson Mr. Wafula Chebukati announced Deputy President Ruto as Kenya’s 5th President winning his bitter rival Orange Democratic Movement Raila.
The exodus
On 18th Thursday, Deputy President Ruto was handed a huge boost after the United Democratic Movement (UDM) party joined his Kenya Kwanza. The group that was led by party leader and Mandera Senator-elect Ali Roba, met DP Ruto at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi.
Also present were Marsabit Governor-elect Mohamed Ali and his Mandera counterpart Mohamed Adan. Others were Deputy Governor-Elect Mandera Ali Maalim, Wajir Senator-Elect Abbas Sheikh, Mps Umulkheir Kassim (Mandera), Bashir Abdullahi (Mandera North), Kullow Hassan (Banisa), Joseph Lekuton (Laisamis), Mangale Munga Chiforomodo (Lunga Lunga), AbdulEnrahim Haro (Mandera South) and Adam Haji (Mandera West) Mohamed Adan.
Other Azimio MPs who crossed to Kenya Kwanza
In the same week, Azimio again suffered another blow after two MPs-elect decamped to President-elect DP Ruto’s camp. The two, who joined Kenya Kwanza were Yakub Adow Kuno MP-elect from UPIA and Abdi Ali Abdi MP-elect from NAP-K.
Independent MPs-elect also joined Ruto’s Kwanza
Two days after DP Ruto was announced as the winner of the August 2022 presidential race, about 10 of 12 independent MPs-elect joined the Kenya Kwanza Alliance. Addressing the elected leaders’ caucus of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance, Ruto said the 10 will be working with the Kenya Kwanza leaders to deliver development to the people of Kenya.
What the law says about the Azimio members joining Kenya Kwanza
In March 2022, the ruling party Jubilee, the opposition party ODM, and other political groups joined forces ahead of general elections in August. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta reiterated his support for former rival Raila before a cheering crowd in Nairobi. In last week’s polls, the UDM party pulled a surprise by winning two governor positions, 7 parliamentary seats, and at least 35 ward representatives. Legally, however, the UDM party is still a member of the Azimio coalition and can only leave the alliance in December. The pact stipulates that a member party can only leave the coalition four months after a General Election. Many people are wondering if these MPs consulted their employers the voters before making such big decisions.
Game-Changer
The move by the MPs who joined Kenya Kwanza will help the coalition get more numbers in the National Assembly. Azimio alliance got the majority seats at the National Assembly leading with 162 seats while Kenya Kwanza got 159 seats. Ruto had 22 governors, 24 woman representative seats, and 24 senate seats. Raila’s Azimio coalition had 21 governor seats, 20 woman representatives, and 23 senate seats in the just concluded August 9 election. With UDM joining Kenya Kwanza Alliance, this means that Ruto will have a majority both in the Senate, National Assembly, and the Council of governors.
Is it early for Ruto to Jubilate ?
DP Ruto’s way to the top office has met several challenges starting with the four IEBC Commissioners disowning the results that were announced by the chairman Chebukati. On 22 August, opposition leader Raila petitioned Kenya’s Supreme Court challenging the election results. He alleged that the tally had involved “criminality.”
Grounds
In the petition, Raila wanted the court to declare the election null and void on several grounds, including a mismatch between the turnout figures and the results and alleged that the IEBC failed to tally ballots from 27 constituencies, rendering the result unverifiable and unaccountable.
The case will be heard by the seven-member Supreme Court and presided over by Martha Koome, Kenya’s first female chief justice who was appointed by President Uhuru last year. Up next will be the court to conduct a status conference with all parties to define the hearing schedule and ground rules. The constitution requires judges to issue their decision within 14 days of the lawsuit being filed.
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