Political experts have hailed Kirinyaga County’s Anne Waiguru decision to abandon President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party in favour of William Ruto’s UDA party as mistimed and too early.
According to the analysts, who were speaking on Citizen TV’s New Night show, Waiguru’s move, though not surprising, was made without proper consideration of Mount Kenya politics.
“In Kenya and in Africa politicians are migratory animals and the season of migration has just began and the laws of migration are very simple and clear. There are pull factors, there are push factors. The push factors are in the place of the destination, the pull factors are in the place of origin. Anne Waiguru has been pulled by certain factors as she explained rather eloquently, this afternoon,” Barrack Muluka, a Communications Consultant said.
The experts argue that Waiguru should have taken her time and announced her political allegiances much later after considering Mount Kenya politics.
“Sometimes there is that proverbial antelope in African folk tales that dances itself lame before the real dance and when the actual dance comes it cannot take part because it had already run out of energy to be a viable contender,” Policy advisor and Strategist Professor Peter Kagwanja explained.
“If you look at 2012, Kalonzo Musyoka stayed with the Ruto-Uhuru Group until the final hour. That did not prevent him from becoming the running mate to Raila Odinga in 2013 but it was bad timing because you have invested so much in the other side that when you come to this other side you are not bringing any new capital,” political analyst Herman Manyora said.
Manyora consequently faulted Waiguru’s inexperience as a factor that contributed to her decision to join UDA.
“People who are not experienced react to things very fast. Politicians who are new to the game don’t read it well. Waiguru could be suffering from that. A more seasoned politician would take time to read the game better,”
“Any seasoned politician would take some time to check. Again it is a question of who are you are joining if you are Anne Waiguru. She was so close to Uhuru and she was a big part of his government but now she has jumped ship and she only has Ruto on her side. Come next year, the people of Mount Kenya will not listen to these young people allying themselves with Ruto,”
The experts similarly argue that Kenyan politics is highly regional and tribal as such it will be difficult for non-local parties to establish themselves convincingly in the area before next year’s elections.
“By January next year, UDA will be a Kalenjin Party but as far as parties are concerned Kikuyus will have their own parties. I just feel like Waiguru could be joining a side where people are going to be orphaned very soon,” Manyora added.
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