Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s return to active politics has divided the members of his Jubilee party and the political actors who feel he should not be elder and statesman while others maintain he has every right to agitate and demand for better governance.
Those who maintain that the former Head of State should not drag his name in the murky waters of local politics want him to borrow a leaf from former the late Daniel Moi and Mwai Kbaki who led a quiet life after leaving office and only offered political guidance albeit away from the public space.
After leaving office, the second President led a private life where senior politicians and their successors would occasionally visit him for consulations on matters of national importance.
Kibaki too, did not engage in the political affairs but retreated to his Muthaiga home where he enjoyed his retirement until his demise in 2022.
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But those supporting Uhuru’s return to politics maintain he has every constitutional right to participate in the political discourse of the country and can even seek any elective office safe for a President since he completed his term.
They maintain that unlike Moi and Kibaki who were old, Uhuru is younger and energetic to guide the country on the political direction even as they maintain that Presidents from other countries have remained actively involved in the politics of the day.
Fanya Mambo Kinuthia, a political analyst said Kenya borrows heavily from the United States of America where former President Barack Obama who served for eight years has even after leaving office, campaigned vigorously for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, saying Uhuru should not be intimidated to enjoy his civic liberty.
“Given that Uhuru is retired, that does not take away his civil liberties and rights of an individual to participate in demanding for better governance of his country. We can’t say we aspire to be like developed nations such as America but when it comes to one enjoying his rights we then draw the line,” Kinuthia maintained.
Reacting to concerns that Uhuru would attract unwarranted political attacks from his rivals and especially the government, Kinuthia maintained that the former President too understood that “there was no cleaner way to conduct politics in the country other than the smear campaign.”
Kinuthia’s remarks were supported by Barrack Muluka, a political analyst who observed that Uhuru had constitutional right to use his political influence to guide the country into having good leaders who shall fight corruption, nepotism and who shall govern by the rule of law.
“There is no harm when the former President calls out those who brought disrepute to the office of the President, we should only judge him based on his performance when he was the President but he can’t be stopped from criticizing the current administration,” Muluka noted.
But Uhuru’s remarks during the Jubilee Special National Delegates Conference that the Ruto administration had replaced his policies with untested and untried ones has not gone unanswered from the members of the Kenya Kwanza administration led by Deputy President Kihture Kindiki who accused him of using lying to de-campaign the administration.
“I urge him to correct the current administration based on the facts. This administration has tried. If they want to criticize it, the Linda Mama program has been expanded and is now Linda jamii,” Kindiki said during an economic empowerment program in Garissa.
Eldas MP, Adan Keynan, a Jubilee leader urged Uhuru to respect Ruto’s administration and let him work for Kenyans without disrupting him
“He was accorded respect when he served as the President and he was given time to work for the country and he should now let the Kenya Kwanza administration work for Kenyans. May he get good health to witness the development projects being initiated by Ruto.
Taveta MP John Bwire said “Uhuru has no moral obligation to disrespect the office of the President and if he has any advice to give him, he can’t
Those against Uhuru’s return to active politics believe nasty reactions from local leaders demeaned Uhuru’s social stature as the leader of the peace talks in DRC where he leads alongside former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as well as reducing to naught his awards for his contribution to the peaceful settlement of the conflict in Northern Ethiopia.
Former Starehe MP Maina Kamanda said although Uhuru was within his rights to actively participate in politics, he was above the country’s local politics and ought to play in the regional league alongside his colleagues who had served their full term in the region.
“I have been a Starehe MP for over 20 years. I retired, but if I try to dictate the political direction of the constituency, I will attract insults from the youth who are now in politics. A wise leader abandons the political arena once he retires from politics. He has his legacy, he brought BBI and warned us of electing Ruto but that is now water under the bridge,” he said.
He added if he decides to come back to politics, he won’t change the political mood in the country and in Mt Kenya region and will only attract name calling and smear campaigns to his name and that of the Kenyatta family.”
Judy Muthoga, a political commentator and a member of the Jubilee party said she would not wish to see Uhuru on top of car roofs and in the political rallies to a point of being reduced to the level of some leaders such as Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and Ruto’s personal assistant Farouk Kibet in a political duel.
“Imagine a retired head of state, who once commanded the respect of the entire nation, being shouted down and mocked in political rallies. Picture this Uhuru’s campaign trail being teargassed, just like DAP-K or DCP where people are often dispersed or even his rallies being disrupted by hired goons’ posed Ms Muthoga saying that would not only be humiliating but painful for his supporters.
Muthoga said Uhuru oought to imitate leaders such as former Internal Minister John Michuki who she said eventually stepped back when their mission was accomplished after ensuring that Uhuru held the leadership mantle to become the Mt Kenya kingpin urging Uhuru to identify a mentor and pass his blessings to someone else to carry the weight of the local politics.
“We love him too much to see him subjected to the indecency and uncouth of Kenyan politics. We want to see him smiling, strong, and healthy whenever he shows up at events not being heckled, insulted, teargassed, and certainly not having his meetings disrupted by goons,” she said.
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Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s
return
to active politics has divided the members of
his
Jubilee party and the political actors who feel he should not be elder and statesman while others maintain he has every right to agitate and demand for better governance.
Those who maintain that the former Head of State
should not drag
his
name in the murky waters of local politics want him to borrow a leaf from former the late Daniel Moi and Mwai Kbaki who led a quiet life after leaving office and only offered political guidance albeit away from the public space.
After leaving office, the second President led a private life where senior politicians and their successors would occasionally visit him for consulations on matters of national importance.
Kibaki too, did not
engage in the political affairs
but retreated to
his
Muthaiga home where he enjoyed
his
retirement until
his
demise in 2022.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
But those supporting
Uhuru’s
return
to politics maintain he has every constitutional right to participate in the political discourse of the country and can even seek any elective office safe for a President since he completed
his
term.
They maintain that unlike Moi and Kibaki who were old, Uhuru is younger and energetic to guide the country on the political direction even as they maintain that Presidents from other countries have remained actively involved in the politics of the day.
Fanya Mambo Kinuthia, a political analyst said Kenya borrows heavily from the United States of America where former President Barack Obama who served for eight years has even after leaving office, campaigned vigorously for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, saying Uhuru should not be intimidated to enjoy
his
civic liberty.
“Given that Uhuru is retired, that does not take away
his
civil liberties and rights of an individual to participate in demanding for better governance of
his
country. We can’t say we aspire to be like developed nations such as America but when it comes to one enjoying
his
rights we then draw the line,” Kinuthia maintained.
Reacting to concerns that Uhuru would attract unwarranted political attacks from
his
rivals and especially the government, Kinuthia maintained that the former President too understood that “there was no cleaner way to conduct politics in the country other than the smear campaign.”
Kinuthia’s remarks were supported by Barrack Muluka, a political analyst who observed that Uhuru had constitutional right to use
his
political influence to guide the country into having good leaders who shall fight corruption, nepotism and who shall govern by the rule of law.
“There is no harm when the former President calls out those who brought disrepute to the office of the President, we should only judge him based on
his
performance when he was the President but he can’t be stopped from criticizing the current administration,” Muluka noted.
But
Uhuru’s
remarks during the Jubilee Special National Delegates Conference that the Ruto administration had replaced
his
policies with untested and untried ones has not gone unanswered from the members of the Kenya Kwanza administration led by Deputy President Kihture Kindiki who accused him of using lying to de-campaign the administration.
“I urge him to correct the current administration based on the facts. This administration has tried. If they want to criticize it, the Linda Mama program has been expanded and is now Linda jamii,” Kindiki said during an economic empowerment program in Garissa.
Eldas MP, Adan Keynan, a Jubilee leader urged Uhuru to respect Ruto’s administration and let him work for Kenyans without disrupting him
“He was accorded respect when he served as the President and he was given time to work for the country and he should now let the Kenya Kwanza administration work for Kenyans. May he get good health to witness the development projects being initiated by Ruto.
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Taveta MP John Bwire said “Uhuru has no moral obligation to disrespect the office of the President and if he has any advice to give him, he can’t
Those against
Uhuru’s
return
to active politics believe nasty reactions from local leaders demeaned
Uhuru’s
social stature as the leader of the peace talks in DRC where he leads alongside former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as well as reducing to naught
his
awards for
his
contribution to the peaceful settlement of the conflict in Northern Ethiopia.
Former Starehe MP Maina Kamanda said although Uhuru was within
his
rights to actively participate in politics, he was above the country’s local politics and ought to play in the regional league alongside
his
colleagues who had served their full term in the region.
“I have been a Starehe MP for over 20 years. I retired, but if I try to dictate the political direction of the constituency, I will attract insults from the youth who are now in politics. A wise leader abandons the political arena once he retires from politics. He has
his
legacy, he brought BBI and warned us of electing Ruto but that is now water under the bridge,” he said.
He added if he decides to come back to politics, he won’t change the political mood in the country and in Mt Kenya region and will only attract name calling and smear campaigns to
his
name and that of the Kenyatta family.”
Judy Muthoga, a political commentator and a member of the Jubilee party said she would not wish to see Uhuru on top of car roofs and in the political rallies to a point of being reduced to the level of some leaders such as Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and Ruto’s personal assistant Farouk Kibet in a political duel.
“Imagine a retired head of state, who once commanded the respect of the entire nation, being shouted down and mocked in political rallies. Picture this
Uhuru’s
campaign trail being teargassed, just like DAP-K or DCP where people are often dispersed or even
his
rallies being disrupted by hired goons’ posed Ms Muthoga saying that would not only be humiliating but painful for
his
supporters.
Muthoga said Uhuru oought to imitate leaders such as former Internal Minister John Michuki who she said eventually stepped back when their mission was accomplished after ensuring that Uhuru held the leadership mantle to become the Mt Kenya kingpin urging Uhuru to identify a mentor and pass
his
blessings to someone else to carry the weight of the local politics.
“We love him too much to see him subjected to the indecency and uncouth of Kenyan politics. We want to see him smiling, strong, and healthy whenever he shows up at events not being heckled, insulted, teargassed, and certainly not having
his
meetings disrupted by goons,” she said.
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By Ndungu Gachane