Opposition leader Raila Odinga at a past event. He is the National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate in the August polls.[ Photo: the-star.co.ke]
Battle lines for the forthcoming August 8 elections have been drawn. The Presidential contest will definitely be a fierce contest with the National Super Alliance (NASA) vowing to dislodge the ruling Jubilee Party from power.
Political analyst Amukowa Anangwe predicts how NASA government would be like should its presidential candidate Raila Odinga defeat President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In an interview with the Star, the analyst said the existence and stability of NASA beyond the August polls could be similar to the squabbling that characterised former President Mwai Kibaki’s Narc government after the 2002 general elections.
“A NASA victory would come with serious ramifications, as its inherent character could present a recipe for a fractious government because of personality clashes and disagreements over spoils and policies,” he stated.
The Opposition coalition has picked Raila as its flag bearer with former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka as his running mate.
Other principals in the alliance are ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetang'ula of Ford Kenya and Chama Cha Mashinani's Isaac Ruto.
Anangwe said if Raila will keep his part of the bargain to be a one-term president and respects NASA’s coalition agreement on power-sharing, his government will be unstable due to infighting between principals.
“The coalition will run the risk of disintegrating, as both Musyoka and Mudavadi may revert to their respective political parties due to infighting over Raila’s succession,” he noted.
Should Raila dishonour his promise to be president for five years, his colleagues Mudavadi and Kalonzo will break away to run against him.
“If Raila is tempted to trash the coalition agreement, his present partners will become his bitter foes out to dislodge him from power and he will equally attempt to neutralise them politically, leading to the collapse of the union,” said the former Butere MP.