UDA: Raila Is Using Kofi Annan Negotiation Style For Nusu Mkate

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) on Tuesday, April 4 responded vehemently to Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga's push for the revival of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act of 2008 led by Kofi Annan.

In a statement, UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala accused the former Prime Minister of using the weekly demonstrations as a push for the lowering of the cost of living to hide his selfish gain and seemingly advocating for a power-sharing model.

Malala believed that Raila is trying to interfere with the bipartisan parliamentary process as suggested by President William Ruto to gain entry into the government through sketchy means.

Raila Odinga shaking the late former President Mwai Kibaki in the presence of Kofi Annan in 2008. /THE NEW HUMANITARIAN

"Hon. Raila Odinga, in his statement, has confirmed our worst fears that Maadamano, was in fact not genuine from the onset but a blatant thirst and hunger for power through the back door.

"In making these unreasonable demands, Raila Odinga has demonstrated his intention to hold the Bipartisan Parliamentary Process as suggested by The President at ransom," read the statement in part.

The former Kakamega Senator further urged Raila to accept that there is a legitimate government in place that is delivering the promises made to the people of Kenya during the campaign period prior to the elections.

"It is in this regard that we call upon Hon. Raila Odinga to recognize that there is a legitimate government in Kenya delivering the promises made to the electorate and implementing its pre-election agenda. He should not mistake the President's Olive branch in this Holy Month as a sign of cowardice," he went on.

He further argued that Raila wanted a piece of the nation, a power-sharing formula or Nusu Mkate from the onset. 

Malala, in echoing what Ruto spoke in Rwanda on Tuesday, April 4, remarked that every discussion held with the opposition would be anchored in the Constitution.

"Formation of anybody, not legally recognized by the constitution or statute law amounts to living in utopia and broad daylight hallucination. We want to categorically state that, we as a party, shall not accept any process that is outside the purview of the Constitution or offends the law as established," he added.

Raila earlier expressed that the purely Parliamentary process would not achieve the bi-partisan agreement arrived at by the two parties, even though Azimio already formulated a committee constituting of 14 members who would make the decision and take it to Parliament for approval.

"We want this process to be akin to the process that Kofi Annan led. We want it to be a people-driven process," the ODM party leader added, seemingly advocating for a power-sharing model.

"A purely parliamentary process will not serve the intended purpose on the issues we raised. Our suggestion is to have a conversation at the national level through a process akin to the 2008 National Accord."

Talks led by former UN secretary-general Koffi Annan in 2008 led to a peace accord in which the late former President Mwai Kibaki and Raila shook hands in public in the presence of then Tanzania president Jakaya Kikwete.

Raila was appointed Prime Minister and handed half of the ministries in government in an arrangement dubbed ‘nusu mkate’ (half a loaf) as part of the agreement. The deal lasted five years, until the end of Kibaki’s tenure as Head of State.

Raila's latest proposal ignited uproar across the country, with 'Nusu Mkate' trending on social media by the time of publication, with a section of politicians fearing the return of the 'handshake era' which gained mainstream in 2018 thanks to a morning deal struck between Raila and former President Uhuru Kenyatta.