It would mark the first time in the elective politics of Kenya when a sitting President’s choice of successor would lose an election with an astronomical margin.
The election saw opposition leaders including Emilio Mwai Kibaki, Raila Odinga, and Kijana Wamalwa among others, join hands to bring what was seen as the much-awaited change in the country’s political landscape.
Kibaki would go on to win the presidency, defeating KANU’s Uhuru Kenyatta – his main challenger. Upon assumption of office, Kibaki would appoint the late Kijana Wamalwa as his Vice President, reneging on a promise to give the position to Raila, who was his chief campaigner.
The relationship between Kibaki and Raila would deteriorate over the years and in the 2007 presidential election, the latter would challenge Kibaki in a hotly contested election.
Kibaki, who was serving his first term would defend his seat on a Party of National Unity (PNU) ticket, while Raila would run on an Orange democratic Movement (ODM) party ticket. The two were newly formed political parties.
The elections, which would later be marred by the worst post election uprising in the country’s history, further escalated the bad blood between Kibaki and Raila.
Although the two leaders would in early 2008 agree to form a grand coalition government, the two leaders would not see eye-to-eye.
According to Tourism Cabinet Secretary, Najib Balala, who was at the centre of it all, the tension between the two leaders seemingly boiled over after the December 2007 elections despite both parties accepting the grand coalition deal.
At the time, a couple of designated riders escorted Raila to Harambee House to meet with Kibaki. The ODM leader was flanked by Balala.
Balala recalled that despite the grand entrance, Kibaki declined to see them – with reports indicating that the former Prime Minister had not booked a formal appointment.
“When we arrived at Harambee House, Kibaki refused to see us. I told Raila, maybe we don’t deserve to be given the riders before the (coalition) deal. But Raila felt he was entitled to those riders.”
“From that time, we knew we had been given a raw deal,” Balala recalled.
Siaya Senator, James Orengo, also affirmed that international organisations such as the African Union, the United Kingdom, the United States pressed Raila to accept a deal with the government in a bid to restore peace.
He noted that the opposition had vowed to stand firm with their two stands – either Raila be declared as the rightful President or a repeat General Election be held.
As the wrangles between the two reached its peak and the country experienced a turmoil, consultations reached a deal to resolve the political stalemate at the time.
Senator Orengo admitted that the opposition could have gotten a better deal at the time in terms of consolidating positions in government, but the resolve to hold talks with Kibaki in a bid to resolve the differences and find a common ground would not allow them this privilege.
In what is termed as a decade of division between two of the most polarising political figures within the country, Kenyans were split on political grounds. On one hand, Raila led the opposition, while the other consisted of the ruling party – Kibaki’s led Party of National Unity (PNU).
This came at a time during the post 2007/08 General Election era, when the two kingpins sought to put aside their differences and initiate the grand coalition government. The duo would ultimately share power and positions within Cabinet.
Source: KENYAGIST.COM
