This archive report was first published on 18 June 2020.
Cooperation Deals Signed ¶
Former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka's Wiper Party and Chama Cha Mashinani of former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto have signed post-election cooperation deals with the ruling Jubilee Party.
The agreements, signed at the Jubilee headquarters in Nairobi, could further isolate Deputy President William Ruto and derail his 2022 State House ambitions.
Deputy President Ruto and his allies have been critical of the Jubilee Party leadership, particularly Secretary General Raphael Tuju and Vice Chairman David Murathe, who have been waging a spirited campaign against the Deputy President.
According to Kalonzo, the decision to incorporate other parties in government was geared towards helping President Uhuru Kenyatta unite the country and boost the war on corruption.
However, observers were quick to interpret the deal as a calculated blow to the DP, coming hot on the heels of another cooperation agreement between Jubilee and the Senator Gideon Moi-led Kanu.
Yesterday, Kalonzo said the agreement will see his party work with Uhuru in and out of Parliament even as he signaled an imminent exit from Nasa, which he said only exists in paper.
"Our intention is to support the President fully in his declared intentions to rid this country of corruption and unite the country," Kalonzo said.
The DP and his allies have been rallying against the Building the Bridges Initiative (BBI), which is a product of the Handshake between Uhuru and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
It is meant to address some of the country's most pressing challenges including election-related violence, corruption, exclusion, and historical injustices.
Yesterday's agreement means that Uhuru, whose coalition deal with Kanu helped him execute a ruthless purge of the DP's allies from Senate leadership positions, will now have more supporters in the National Assembly where Wiper has 19 members.
Now the House may not be a good place for Ruto to fight his wars with the President in future.
