By Zachary Ochieng

The ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) is headed for a major split, thanks to the seemingly endless wrangles over who should be the party's flag bearer in the forthcoming general elections. According to the party's new constitution, a presidential nomination council should be the one to nominate the presidential candidate, but this appears not to be happening.

The wrangle began last month when none other than the party chairman President Daniel arap Moi threw all caution to the wind and embarked upon a vigorous campaign to have Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta succeed him when he retires. With unprecedented zeal, President Moi has since been parading Kenyatta at public functions and asking people to support him for the top seat. Said President Moi: "I have chosen Uhuru to take over leadership when I leave. This young man Uhuru has been consulting me on leadership matters. I have seen that he is a person who can be guided."

As expected, President Moi's relentless campaign for Kenyatta has drawn the ire of party members, notably MPs from the former National Development Party (NDP) that merged with KANU in March earlier this year. Leading the onslaught has been Alego/Usonga MP Oloo Aringo who, upon learning that his former party boss Raila Odinga had been summoned to State House and asked to support Kenyatta for the presidency, launched a scathing attack on President Moi. He claimed that Odinga was being sidelined only a few months after leading his former party into a merger with KANU.

And MPs supporting the other candidates – Vice President George Saitoti, Transport and Communications Minister Musalia Mudavadi, and Information and Tourism Minister Kalonza Musyoka – have had to pay a big price. Just as Kenya Election Watch was going to press, Environment Minister Joseph Kamotho and Westlands MP Fred Gumo were sacked, reportedly for their support of Saitoti and Mudavadi respectively. These two are members of the "Rainbow Alliance," a grouping of KANU MPs opposed to Kenyatta’s bid for candidacy.

Aringo and 51 other MPs have since appended their signatures to oppose Kenyatta's candidacy, claiming that he is inexperienced and therefore not saleable. They strongly believe that the party will lose the elections to the opposition if Kenyatta is nominated as the party's torchbearer.

The question on the minds of most observers is: Why is Moi settling for Kenyatta and not any of the other party vice-chairmen? Why does Moi not support Saitoti, the heir apparent who has been his vice for 13 years?

Opposition MP Mukhisa Kituyi argues that Moi is playing tribal politics. According to him, Moi sees the Kikuyu (Kenyatta's tribe) as the one he has offended most during his tenure, especially with regard to the ethnic clashes that rocked the Rift Valley Province in the run-up to the 1992 and 1997 general elections.

"By appointing one of their own, Moi hopes that he will appease the Kikuyus and all the injustices perceived to have been inflicted by him will be forgotten," says Kituyi. Apart from the Luo who have since been assimilated into KANU, the Kikuyu are seen as the only large ethnic group in the opposition. By appointing one of their own to run for president, Moi hopes the ruling party will woo their votes.

Other pundits argue that President Moi is simply returning a favour since Kenyatta's father – Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya’s first president – appointed Moi vice president shortly after independence, from whence he ascended to the presidency upon the senior Kenyatta's death. It is also speculated that since President Moi did not pursue the excesses committed by the senior Kenyatta, the younger Kenyatta will certainly guarantee amnesty to the retired Moi.

Another explanation for the Uhuru factor is that President Moi wants someone he can easily manipulate and who can take care of his interests when he retires. Since Kenyatta is a novice only nominated to Parliament and appointed to the Cabinet, Moi would certainly find him easier to manipulate. Other observers believe that 41-year-old Kenyatta is being used to lure youth votes, since KANU has always had a problem selling its ideas to young people.

What has clearly emerged is that the Kenyatta factor has led to the springing up of camps and alliances within the party rank and file. One camp consists of MPs from Rift Valley and North Eastern provinces who are supporting Kenyatta's candidature. Then there is the Rainbow Alliance consisting of MPs from Western and Nyanza Provinces who are rooting for Mudavadi and Raila.

Early this month, Saitoti, Odinga, and former KANU Secretary General Joseph Kamotho met at Nairobi's Norfolk Hotel to forge an alliance that would ensure strict adherence to the party's constitution. It is worth noting that Saitoti and Kamotho were publicly humiliated at the March 18 merger between KANU and NDP and forced to withdraw their candidature for the posts they were interested in.

Again, for the first time in KANU's history, the secretary general has publicly differed with his chairman. Said Odinga: " KANU's nominee will be chosen by the Presidential Nomination Council delegates by secret ballot. The President has only one vote, which may not be useful to Mr. Kenyatta. There are so many voices campaigning and canvassing for Kenyatta. People are forgetting that this is a long distance race and the favourite might not cross the line first. There are better runners who should not be ignored". Mr. Odinga has also suggested that Moi and his closest political aides be disqualified from managing the KANU presidential nominations since they are partisan.

But President Moi has openly rejected this suggestion. Although the race for the KANU presidential nomination is now crowded, only one candidate – Odinga – has indicated what he would do for the country if elected. He pegged his candidature on his involvement in the struggle for democracy and his clean record in public office. If successful, he said his team would oversee the completion of the constitution review process, rejuvenate the economy, enhance peace, reduce poverty, eradicate corruption and contain the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

But his chances of success appear dim. Although he has the support of over 1,500 out of the 6,000 delegates, he is more feared than respected in KANU due to his past perceived dissident activities and his abrasive style of politics.

But one of Odinga’s strong points is that, apart from Moi, he is the only one with a strong ethnic backing. He also has an advantage over other contenders in that he has twice been a presidential candidate. He also makes good use of the family name, his late father having been the country's first vice president. Moi's tribe - the Kalenjin also feel that he can protect their interests better than a Kikuyu president.

Kenyatta is the front-runner considering that he has President Moi's backing. Political analysts also see Britain's hand in Kenyatta's candidacy. Since the British would like their interests protected, they prefer Kenyatta because the Kenyatta family also has vast business empires in the UK. Kenyatta has enough resources to manage a presidential campaign.

But Kenyatta’s Achilles’ heel is his inexperience in politics. It is even doubted whether he would be able to garner 25 percent of the votes cast in five of the eight provinces, in which case a run-off will be called for. Winning even a Parliamentary seat will depend on whether his cousin Ngengi Muigai – who has more influence in the Gatundu South constituency – runs.

Mudavadi could be a good candidate considering his close relationship with President Moi. His late father, Moses Mudavadi, encouraged Moi to join politics in 1955. Moi was then elected to the Legislative Council (Legco) as a representative of Rift Valley. Mudavadi’s late father's second wife is also related to Moi. Mudavadi, a Luhya by ethnicity, is level headed, does not carry a tribal tag, and above all is an economic manager, commanding respect among the donor community. But Mudavadi’s chances are likely to be hampered by splits within the Luhya sub-tribes. The 13 sub tribes never seem to agree on issues. Already, Cabinet Minister Cyrus Jirongo is backing Kenyatta instead of Mudavadi.

Musyoka could easily withdraw from the race, considering that he owes his present position to KANU Kingpin Mulu Mutisya, who has already expressed his support for Kenyatta. But he is the only aspirant who is not inheriting the so-called dynasty.

At press time, Saitoti had declared that he is now officially in the race. Saitoti has been closer to power, understands the country's economy, and is known countrywide, having been the longest serving vice-president. But his main weakness is that he keeps hiding his ethnic background, which is a major factor in Kenyan politics.

Saitoti is actually a Kikuyu by ethnicity: Saitoti’s real name is George Kinuthia Muthengi. When he was a student in the 1960s, Saitoti masqueraded as a Maasai to gain a scholarship and has kept to that identity since then. His main backer is Cabinet Minister William ole Ntimama. The Goldenberg scandal in which the country lost billions of shillings through export compensation for non-existent gold continues to haunt Saitoti. He also does not enjoy grassroots support and is always being fought, even in his political backyard.

If KANU is to remain united, the only option would be to settle for a compromise candidate. Observers feel that Minister of Lands Joseph Nyagah would fit the job, considering that he has been managing director of several state corporations and has never been tainted with corruption. His father, Jeremiah Nyagah is also respected, having gracefully retired from politics.

The KANU presidential nominations were initially slated for July, but this has not taken place so far. When the moment of reckoning finally comes, the fallout that began on March 18 is likely to continue. Mass defections are expected from disgruntled party members and KANU will never be the same again.

ENDS

By Zachary Ochieng

The majority of Kenyan Members of Parliament (MPs) continue to earn huge salaries and allowances without working hard for them, according to research published by the Kenyan non-government organization Institute for Civic Affairs and Development (ICAD). 

The report, titled "Kenya’s Parliament: Members’ Participation," looks at the performance of 234 MPs (225 of who were men, nine of who were women) in the House between 1998 and 2001, during the eighth Parliament. (Although there are 224 MPs in Kenya’s Parliament, the report’s number is higher, taking into account MPs who resigned and were replaced).

Each MP has been judged according the frequency of: motions brought to Parliament; motions that he or she contributed to; contribution to bills; constituency questions; supplementary questions; the number of times one was suspended; and the number of times a member was declared a stranger in the House.

According to the report, 83 MPs (36 percent) contributed to bills in Parliament in 1998. The majority – 64 percent – did not contribute at all. Of the 83 MPs who contributed to bills, Kimilili MP Mukhisa Kituyi (FORD-Kenya) had the highest number of contributions (eight times), followed by Langata MP Raila Odinga (seven times). Most other MPs who contributed to bills did so three times or less. Of the 83 MPs who contributed to bills in 1998, 37 were from KANU, 18 from DP, seven from FORD-Kenya, and five were from the Social Democratic Party (SDP). All other parties – Safina, FORD-Asili, FORD-People, Kenya Social Congress (KSC), and Shirikisho party – had a combined total of eight MPs contributing to bills.

In the same year (1998), 31 MPs brought motions to Parliament. The highest contributors in this category were: Oloo Aringo (Alego/Usongo - NDP); Musalia Mudavadi (Sabatia - KANU); Joseph Nyagah (Mbeere Central - KANU), and Simeon Nyachae (Nyaribari Chache - KANU). They each brought three motions to Parliament. Raila Odinga, Karisa Maitha, James Orengo, Kalonzo Musyoka, and Matu Wamae each brought two motions to Parliament. All of the other MPs who contributed in this category each brought a single motion to Parliament. Of the MPs who brought motions to the House, 11 (35.5 percent) were from KANU, five (16.1 percent) were from DP, two (6.5 percent) were from NDP, and three were from SDP. Kenya Social Congress and Safina parties each had one MP bringing one motion before the House.

Ironically, MPs performed dismally in terms of asking constituency-related questions. In this category, only 73 MPs (32.4 percent) asked a constituency-related question. Of the 73 MPs, 70 were men while three were women. George Anyona (KSC) asked 19 questions, which was the highest number of questions. Kangema MP John Michuki posed nine questions, while Shem Ochuodho (Rangwe) and Tom Onyango (Nyatike) asked six questions. In general, all other MPs participating in this category asked less than five questions each.

A total of 145 MPs (64.4 percent) raised "points of order." George Anyona – the lone KSC MP recorded the highest participation level in this category by raising 82 "points of order." Other noteworthy contributors were: Juja MP Stephen Ndichu (62); Henry Obwocha (40); and Rangwe MP Shem Ochuodho (39). The rest of the MPs participating in this category generally raised less than 30 "points of order."

In 1998, eight MPs were suspended from the House. They were: John Kiujuri – Laikipia East (KANU); Moses Mwihia – Gatundu South (SDP); John Sambu – Mosop (KANU); David Sankori – Kajiado Central (KANU), who was suspended twice; and Raphael Wanjala – Budalangi (FORD-Kenya).

In terms of participation by gender, of the 31 MPs who brought motions to Parliament, only one – Martha Karua (DP - Gichugu) – was a woman. Taking into account the total number of nine female MPs in Parliament, the proportion bringing motions to Parliament (11.1 percent) was not far off compared to the proportion of 30 out of 225 male MPs (13.3 percent) contributing in the same category.

The report couldn’t have come at a better time. Kenyans expect to go to the polls towards the end of December 2002. The Kenyan electorate is now able to gauge the performance of MPs and see whom to reject at the polls. 

The research – the first and the only one of its kind in Kenyan history – was conducted with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and technical assistance from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF), the oldest and the largest political foundation in Germany. Primary data in this quantitative research came from Hansards published by the National Assembly. 

According to the reports, although the number of MPs should be 224 (210 elected, 12 nominated, and two ex-officio), there were a total of 234 MPs in the eighth parliament between 1998 and 2001. Deaths, resignations and election petitions occasioned the changes. "The composition of the eighth parliament between the year 1998 – 2001 displays gender imbalance", says the report.  Out of the total 234 MPs, 226 (96.5 percent) were male while only eight (3.4 percent) were female.

According to the report, Rangwe MP Shem Ochuodho scored the highest performance marks (651). He also earned the notoriety of being ruled out of order 24 times over the four-year period.  He was closely followed by Njehu Gatabaki (Githunguri SDP) who scored 431, Mukhisa Kituyi (Kimilili FORD- Kenya) with a score of 430, and Juja MP Stephen Ndichu (421). The poorest performers were Robert Kuchale (Laisamis KANU), Francis Lagat (Eldoret East - KANU), Samuel Rotich (Kipkelion KANU), and Kihika Kimani (Molo DP). The four MPs never spoke in Parliament between 1998 and 2001.

The House has at times been forced to rise early when hit by lack of quorum.  And ministers – especially those from the Office of the President – have earned the notoriety of being absent from the House to answer questions. Worse still, television cameras have often shown close-up pictures of MPs dozing and snoring away when important speeches such as the budget are being read.

The report is likely to rekindle debate on whether MPs deserve the huge perks they have been awarding themselves. MPs earn US$6,493.50 (Sh500,000) a month; out of that, only US$155.84 (Sh12,000) is taxable. Meanwhile, all other Kenyans are taxed on everything they earn, including allowances. MPs are allowed to import cars duty-free and are entitled to a generous pension scheme after serving for only two terms.

However, the report cannot be used to measure the general performance of MPs. While some of them rarely participate in Parliament, they are always in touch with their constituents, conducting fundraisers, and engaging in other development activities. There are also those who serve in House committees whose reports are never made public. 

Prof. Wanjohi Mwangi from the University of Nairobi’s Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies says the report does not deal with quality participation. "Some of the contributions made by MPs are highly irrelevant," adding that the eighth Parliament will go down in history as one that has passed a number of faulty bills.

With elections just around the corner, ICAD Secretary Gideon Ochanda says the organization will from next month onwards move to constituencies to assess the performance of MPs at that level. USAID, through its Director for Democracy and Governance Sherly Stumbras, has agreed to continue funding the remaining stages of the study. With the spotlight clearly on MPs, it will be interesting to see how many of them will stand the test.

ENDS

All throughout the chronology and updates are sprinkled acronyms referring to various committees, commissions, political movements, etc. Here, we spell out these acronyms and provide some brief background information.

CKRC = Constitution of Kenya Review Commission. Chaired by Prof. Yash Pal Ghai, the 27-member group collects the views of a wide cross-section of Kenyan groups and individuals. The commission is supposed to present Kenyans with a new constitution on October 4.

PSCCR = Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Review. Chaired by Raila Odinga, Minister of Energy, the committee monitors the work of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC).

KANU = Kenya African National Union, the party that has ruled Kenya since independence. Daniel arap Moi is the president of Kenya.

NAC = National Alliance for Change. This is a grouping of the Democratic Party, FORD-Kenya, National Party of Kenya (NPK), FORD-Asili, the unregistered Saba Saba Asili, SPARK, and several advocacy groups. The group is striving to field one presidential candidate.

NAK = the National Alliance (Party) of Kenya. This is the overarching political party that NAC has recently formed.

KPC = Kenya People's Coalition. This is a grouping of FORD-People, Safina, the Labour Party of Kenya, and the National Convention Executive Council (NCEC).

MPs = Members of Parliament. Currently, the House contains a total of 224 MPs (including two ex-officio members)

July 15 – NAC says it will take advantage of "disunity in KANU" to win the general election. Democratic Party leader Mwai Kibaki and six MPs in the alliance declare at a meeting that they will go to the elections united. "We are now set to wrest power from the ruling party and there is no excuse for failure this time," says Kibaki.

Mombasa Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Najib Balala says that coast leaders are shying away from fighting for the presidency. He urged leaders to run for president. "We should stop acting as a mere rubber stamp and get involved in the country's important decision-making processes,'' he says.

July 16 – Dr. Oki Ooko-Ombaka, CKRC vice-chairman and a key figure in the constitutional review process, dies of a blood clot at his home on Monday. He also had chaired the Ufungamano People’s Commission (UPC), a church-led initiative that collected views from the provinces. UPC later merged with the CKRC. Ombaka had been suffering from a lung disease for seven years.

A political party called Shirikisho based in Coast Province joins NAC. The party, which has vigorously opposed the granting of a mining license to a Canadian company called Tiomin Resources that wants to mine in Kwale District, was formed just before the 1997 general election. Its national chairman is Mashengu wa Mwachofi.

The Daily Nation editorial criticises District Commissioner Ernest Munyi, who banned all "political" meetings in Butere-Mumias "until Parliament is dissolved." It says that if the ban is upheld, "it could portend a dangerous trend in the run-up to the elections," because the definition of "political" is vague, and because the ban would be inconsistent, as surely Munyi would not ban a gathering to listen to President Moi and other KANU top brass.

July 17 – President Moi instructs civil servants and parastatal officials who wish to vie for seats in the upcoming election to quit their posts by August 15, leading to speculations that Parliament will be dissolved and elections held soon.

President Moi tells U.S. President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair that he will leave office when his term expires. He also says that the proposal to extend the life of Parliament comes from the CKRC and not KANU.

The CKRC wraps up its cross-country hearings at its headquarters in Nairobi. At this point, the CKRC will now only accept written statements, which should be left at CKRC’s reception desk, says Secretary Patrick Lumumba. The CKRC will conduct one last visit in Western Province next week.

July 18 – In Parliament, Oloo Aringo (Alego Usonga, KANU) asks the Leader of Government Business George Saitoti why the House Business Committee has failed to allocate time to debate the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) (No2) Bill 2002. The bill, first published in the Kenya Gazette on May 14, 2001, and introduced in the House for the first mandatory reading on June 12, 2001, had not been allocated time for debate. Amongst other things, the bill outlines the exact times when Parliament can be dissolved and resumed, and proposes that the speaker of the National Assembly – rather than the vice president – would be the pro tem president until elections are called.

A motion seeking public funding for Parliamentary parties is passed. Attorney-General Amos Wako says that funding the parties would not only strengthen multiparty democracy, but also deter foreign funding and address the registration of political parties. Wako proposes an autonomous body to deal with the registration of parties. "Such a body would make sure parties are not formed and registered on ethnic lines, and at least conform to some national outlook," he says.

Several parastatal chiefs and civil servants announce their intention to contest in the forthcoming general elections. Among the parastatals expecting a change of leadership are the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, the Kenya Ports Authority and the Central Agriculture Board. 

July 19 – An electoral guide map showing the country’s 210 constituencies and pattern of voting in the last elections is launched. The Kenya Democracy Map also lists 47 registered political parties as of June 3, their national chiefs, civic wards, number of registered voters, population in every constituency, and the number of women who contested the 1997 general election.

Two MPs say KANU risks losing the general election if Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta is its flag-bearer. "Kenya’s next president will not be elected at the market place…. People must have a say," MP Odeny Ngure of Rarieda was quoted as saying.

President Moi says that his impending retirement does not mean that he will be relegated to an insignificant position. President Moi says he will still be active after the expiry of his term in office. He plans to retain the chairmanship of KANU and would spend time addressing problems affecting Kenyans all across the country and give them political guidance.

July 20 – President Moi comes out in strong defence of Uhuru Kenyatta, his choice of successor, saying that Kenyans would regret it if they reject his advice. The president says that after many years at the helm, he is best placed to know what was good for Kenyans.

Two factions of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) clash in the Parliament buildings when one group storms into a function called by its rival. Moses Ng’ang’a Muihia says that a faction led by nominated MP Prof. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o is comprised of "impostors." Muihia says that he, rather than Anyang’ Nyong’o, is the chair of the party’s political bureau. Also, a faction of the SDP disowns chairman Ugenya MP James Orengo, claiming that he has not yet resigned from his former party, FORD-Kenya.

An attempt to disrupt a funds drive in Butere presided over by Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta fails. Police confront more than 50 youths flashing pro-Musalia Mudavadi and Butere politician Wycliffe Oparanya’s placards while they head to the rally. Kenyatta is among those who had been invited by a local MP to conduct the harambee.

July 21 - The government must release the Akiwumi Report on tribal clashes that rocked various parts of the country between 1991 and 1997 or face mass action, says Ugenya MP James Orengo. He urges President Moi to comply with a court order that recently directed Attorney-General Amos Wako to release the report as requested by a Kwale farmer. "But if President Moi fails to do so, we are going to mobilise Kenyans to demand the release of the report through mass action," Orengo tells thousands of people gathered at a pro-reform rally at the Tononoka grounds, Mombasa.

KANU rebel MP Kipruto arap Kirwa wants President Moi given full immunity when he retires at the end of his term. He warns that Kenya risks disintegration if the next government pursues an agenda of revenge against President Moi and his supporters.

July 22 – Opposition politician and FORD-Asili secretary general Martin Shikuku calls on the Electoral Commission of Kenya to disqualify candidates who are likely to fuel violence in the next general election.

Thirteen KANU MPs say they fully back the call for Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta to be KANU’s presidential candidate in the upcoming general election. They teamed up with Cabinet Minister Cyrus Jirongo and Butere MP Amukowa Anangwe, who led a tour in Kakamega and other parts of Luhyaland to marshal support for Kenyatta. The tour included Assistant Minister William Ruto, Mohammed Affey, and Samwel Poghisio.

An analysis piece appearing in The Standard discusses the Central Depository Unit’s report on electoral violence that was released last week. The report lists incidences of assassination, assault, torture, threats, intimidation, political thuggery, arson, looting, destruction of property, eviction, violent disruption of public meetings, closure of party and campaign offices, and other destructive happenings during past election campaigns, the most glaring examples being the 1992 Molo clashes and the 1997 Likoni killings.

July 23 – The government moves to the Court of Appeal in a bid to block an order to release the Akiwumi Report on tribal clashes. Attorney-General Amos Wako is challenging a High Court decision ordering the government to release the report to a victim of the 1997 Likoni clashes in Coast Province, just before the 1997 general election.

Mama Ngina Kenyatta, the wife of former President Jomo Kenyatta and mother of Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, tells residents of Gatundu South that her son is fit to lead the country and asks them to support him.

Special arrangements will be made to allow prisoners to give their views to the CKRC, says secretary Patrick Lumumba.

July 24 – Ten parties and one lobby group under NAC are fielding presidential, Parliamentary, and civic candidates under the National Alliance Party of Kenya (NAK), it is officially announced. NAC leaders launch rules setting out mechanisms for selecting the single presidential candidate, a constitution, and regulations on membership.

Leaders call on President Moi to convene KANU’s nomination council in reaction to Mama Ngina Kenyatta’s passionate call to Kenyans to back her son Uhuru as president. "Mama Ngina should respect the KANU constitution and stop commenting on issues that haven’t been resolved… we don’t want outside influence," Assistant Minister Wycliffe Osundwa is quoted as saying.

Gabriel Mukele, vice-chairman of the Electoral Commission of Kenya, says the commission needs more powers if it is to effectively contain election violence. The current codes of conduct that prohibit political parties and aspirants from engaging in violence are inadequate, he says.

July 26 – Parliament begins debate on The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, introduced by Oloo Aringo, MP for Alego Usonga. The Aringo Bill proposes that Parliament be dissolved on November 30 every five years and have its first sitting on the first Tuesday of February after a general election. Each session within the five-year term of Parliament would end and start on the same dates, the bill proposes. And if the president’s office fall vacant, the speaker of the National Assembly – rather than the vice president – would be the pro tem president until he calls presidential elections, according to the bill. The editorial in The Daily Nation argues that the bill should be presented to the CKRC rather than in Parliament. The editorial notes that both KANU and the opposition "are keen to bypass the Review Commission to push for a series of key constitutional amendments ahead of the General Election in December."

President Moi does not have the final say on KANU’s presidential candidate, says KANU secretary-general Raila Odinga. About the Kenyatta-for-president campaign, Odinga says KANU’s nominee will be chosen by secret ballot and it is not upon the president to determine whether or not Kenyatta should be KANU’s candidate.

U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Johnnie Carson and Attorney-General Amos Wako are among prominent personalities who took the opportunity at the late Oki Ooko Ombaka’s funeral to call for elections to be held under a new constitution and on time. Ombaka was the CKRC’s vice-chairman until his recent passing.

Eleven KANU leaders and 39 councillors from Vihiga District declare their support for Cabinet Minister Musalia Mudavadi, who they claim is suitable to be KANU’s presidential candidate. FORD-Kenya National Chairman Kijana Wamalwa is strong presidential material in NAC, says the Kwanza MP Dr. Noah Wekesa.

July 27 – Vice-President George Saitoti and KANU Vice-Chairmen and Cabinet Ministers Musalia Mudavadi, Noah Ngala, and Kalonzo Musyoka are challenged to declare whether or not they are interested in the presidency. This follows a wave of support for Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta as president Moi’s successor.

July 28 – Cabinet Minister Musalia Mudavadi announces his intention to run for president on a KANU ticket. Mudavadi was widely seen as President Moi’s favoured candidate before the entrance of Uhuru Kenyatta. He now joins Kenyatta in his bid for presidency. Mudavadi stresses that the KANU Presidential Nomination Council should have the final say on who succeeds President Moi in KANU.

Cabinet Minister Julius Sunkuli rules out minimum reforms to accommodate the election. He says a good constitution would only be drafted if the reforms were given the proper time required. "The constitution is not going to be for elections alone but many other things besides," Sunkuli was quoted as saying.

CKRC head Prof. Yash Pal Ghai says the commission "is likely" to produce a draft constitution "in the next few weeks." He says this at the burial of the late Ooki Ooko Ombaka, CKRC vice chairman.

KANU Secretary General Raila Odinga launches his presidential nomination campaign bid in Mombasa. KANU MP Ochillo Ayacko says President Moi should be neutral in the KANU nominations.

GEM MP Joe Donde insists that he will vie for the presidency under NAK despite criticism that he should first be nominated by FORD-Kenya. Dagoretti MP Beth Mugo has said that NAK will not recognize him as a presidential candidate unless his party, FORD-Kenya, nominates him.

July 29 – Cabinet ministers Raila Odinga and Katana Ngala join the battle for KANU’s presidential candidature. This brings to four the number of aspirants seeking the party’s nomination. The others are Musalia Mudavadi and Uhuru Kenyatta.

CKRC boss Prof. Yash Pal Ghai says a draft constitution will be ready by mid-September. He says that nearly 80 percent of the views from Kenyans have been collated and analysed. Only Western Province is yet to be visited by the commission.

National Alliance Party of Kenya leaders vow to support whomever among them is nominated to be the party’s flag-bearer. "We have taken an oath of allegiance to support whoever is picked among the three of us for the presidential race. Any of us who goes against this oath should be lynched," says Charity Ngilu.

July 30 – A retired Kenyan president will be given a fleet of cars, 34 employees, a travel allowance, a 12-bedroom mansion, medical coverage, and a state funeral, all at taxpayers’ cost as part of the retirement benefits being proposed under a new bill. Experts estimate that the retirement package will cost Kenyans Sh50 million [US$65,000] in its first month alone. The proposed package is the most generous one in the East African region. The Daily Nation’s editorial cautions that, if a so-called "Young Turk" retires 10 years after becoming president, "He may then demand our provident support for another 45 years! Can we afford this?… How can a country forever pleading for "foreign aid" afford to indulge in such luxury an individual no longer in service?"

Cabinet Minister Raila Odinga kicks off his campaign to be KANU’s presidential candidate, with assurances to President Moi that Moi’s future is secure. He also made a pitch for "shared leadership" when President Moi retires.

More than 400 KANU delegates from Western Province declare their support for Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta as KANU’s presidential candidate. In a statement read by Butere MP Dr. Amukowa Anangwe in Eldoret, the delegates said they back Kenyatta unreservedly.

July 31 – President Moi declares local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta his choice as KANU’s presidential candidate. "You have been hearing people talk over the country, but I want you to hear from me now that Kenyatta is my candidate," President Moi is quoted as saying. He told the other KANU politicians seeking party nomination to vie for the presidency to look elsewhere and position themselves strategically should KANU form the next government. "I am still the KANU chairman and will continue playing a crucial role in politics when I retire," President Moi is quoted as saying.

President Moi tells Transport and Communications Minister Musalia Mudavadi, who has also declared his interest in the presidency, to back Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, and tells Mudavadi that he would be allocated another seat in the next collective leadership.

Information and Tourism Minister Kalonzo Musyoka declares his interest to run for the top seat after "careful and prayerful consideration and response to requests put across by Kenyans." He becomes the fifth in the KANU line-up. Vice President George Saitoti has not declared his interest but it is believed he is in the race for presidential candidate.

The proposed retirement package for retiring Kenyan presidents draws sharp reactions, with several MPs dismissing it as too extravagant for an economy such as Kenya’s. Critics of the bill – mainly the opposition – also argued that the burden of maintaining the scheme could eventually prove too heavy in the event that there were several retired presidents.

August 1 – Today’s Daily Nation editorial argues that, as a private citizen, President Moi has the right to back Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta – or anybody else – for KANU's presidential nominations. However, as the leader of his party and the country, he must stand above narrow interests and allow the democratic process to run its course.

Twenty-seven Rift Valley MPs support Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta as their choice for KANU's presidential nomination. In a statement read by Cabinet Minister Nicholas Biwott, the 27 said they made the choice after President Moi expressed support for Kenyatta. The names of 41 MPs were on the list but only 27 signed. The province has 44 MPs altogether.

Crowds in Vihiga, Western Kenya, wave placards in support of Cabinet Minister Musalia Mudavadi, at President Moi. President Moi, who was on his way to Kisumu, sat pensively in his limousine and contrary to his usual practice, did not come out to wave the one-finger KANU salute. He remained in his vehicle and did not get out to greet the crowds lining the roads in Chavakali, Mbale, and Majengo. 

August 2 – President Moi says KANU will not be shaken by mounting dissent over his choice of Uhuru Kenyatta as the party’s flag bearer in the next elections. But Moi’s speech is broken several times by booing and heckling from the pro-Raila Odinga crowd resentful of his Kenyatta-for-president campaign.

Cabinet Minister Musalia Mudavadi confirms he is still in the race for the KANU presidential nominations, saying he fits the bill for the top job. He says he has not changed his mind despite President Moi’s backing of Uhuru Kenyatta.

GEM MP Joe Donde applies for nomination to contest the presidency. He says he has paid the Sh200,000 (US$2,600) nomination fee and sent his application to the chairman of the nominating council of NAK.

August 3 – Minister of Energy and KANU Secretary-General Raila Odinga reacts sharply to the pro-Uhuru Kenyatta stand taken by 27 Rift Valley MPs backed by Cabinet Nicholas Biwott. He says that their views were not sincere and did not represent those of the electorate. Odinga was referring to a statement that Biwott read declaring Local Government Minister Kenyatta as Rift Valley’s preferred nominee for the presidential race in the Moi succession bid.

Eleven MPs from the Mount Kenya Region – including eight MPs from the opposition Democratic Party of Kenya, Safina, and Social Democratic Party – back Uhuru Kenyatta’s candidature. "Other aspiring candidates should forget chasing the seat because it is a foregone conclusion," they said. They say that "Moi is a coach of the team. He decides who plays where."

President Moi mentions to a crowd gathered at the Kisumu showground that he has chosen Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta to succeed him in the race for the presidency. The crowed boos and jeers as President Moi speaks. This is because everyone in that part of Kenya expected that Raila Odinga, former NDP leader and originally from the area, would be President Moi’s favourite after he merged his party with KANU earlier in the year.

Vice President George Saitoti receives support from 52 Maasai leaders for the presidency. They say that, since Saitoti is Kenya’s vice president, he would constitutionally be first in line as President Moi’s successor. The leaders say that Saitoti’s silence on the succession issue should not be misinterpreted to mean cowardice, but rather commitment to the realisation of a truly democratic nation.

August 4 – President Moi announces that the general election will be held before January 3, 2003. He says this at a political rally in Kilgoris, Trans Mara District, where a hostile crowd confronts him for the second time in three days.

Politicians close to KANU Vice-Chairman Musalia Mudavadi and Secretary-General Raila Odinga say that Mudavadi, Odinga, Vice-President George Saitoti, and KANU Vice-Chairmen Kalonzo Musyoka and Katana Ngala – all aspirants in the Moi succession race – are working on a scheme to unite and pick one candidate amongst them so as to block Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta from succeeding President Moi. Meanwhile, Assistant Minister Fred Gumo asks KANU presidential hopefuls to agree among themselves who will be the flag bearer before the party holds its national delegates congress. He warns if this is not done, KANU is likely to suffer an unprecedented disintegration.

Vice-President George Saitoti receives a lukewarm official reception during the rally that President Moi addresses in Trans Mara District. President Moi says that, although Saitoti is his friend, leadership is not based on friendship alone. He says he had carefully evaluated Kenyatta’s leadership abilities and was convinced that he was the most suitable successor. President Moi tells local KANU leaders to back Kenyatta if they wanted to "reap" from the next government, and tells Saitoti to forget about seeking the presidency.

GEM MP Joe Donde’s application for NAK’s presidential nomination is rejected on the basis that he failed to channel his application through his party, FORD-Kenya. Individuals are not allowed to seek any positions within the umbrella opposition party without the sponsorship of their parties.

August 5 – Vice-President George Saitoti emerges in public with a white beaded rungu (small stick), a symbol of authority amongst the Maasai, but falls short of declaring his candidacy. He tells the crowd: "Let Kenyans rest assured that my working experience locally and internationally has equipped me with excellent preparation to serve the nation."

Starehe MP Maina Kamanda invites Vice-President George Saitoti to join NAK. He tells Saitoti that the embarrassment he has suffered at the hands of President Moi shows that he is not going to take over from President Moi despite having served Kenya for 13 years.

August 6 – Vice-President George Saitoti, KANU Secretary-General Raila Odinga, and former KANU boss Joseph Kamotho form a new KANU "rainbow alliance" embracing all shades of political opinion. This is aimed at forcing KANU to nominate its presidential candidate through a democratic vote instead of accepting what Odinga calls "this extremist notion of an automatic KANU presidential candidate."

An ambitious training programme to help police deal with electoral violence is unveiled. It targets senior officers and concentrates on human rights issues, conflict resolution, and how to deal with the public and media. "We must be capable and wiling to manage peace and monitor signs of conflicts to be able to stop it or participate in conflict resolution whenever it occurs," Zebedeo Ong’uti, deputy commissioner of police in charge of training, was quoted as saying.

Democratic Party election candidates will now be scrutinised by NAK instead of their own party. DP has dismantled its nomination procedures for parliamentary and civic elections, opting instead for those stipulated in the constitution of the umbrella NAK. The new procedure provides that a council of eminent persons convene and select the best candidate from applications received from the 11 political parties in NAK.

KANU Secretary-General Raila Odinga asks the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) to be fair to those others aspiring for nomination on KANU’s ticket. KBC should not be used as a campaign instrument for Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, he says.

August 7 – Any hopes of a union between FORD-People leader Simeon Nyachae’s Kenya People’s Coalition and the 11-member NAPK are snuffed out after Nyachae announces that he would kick off his solo presidential campaign in two weeks’ time.

President Moi and his closest political aides should be disqualified from managing the KANU presidential nomination elections, says Minister of Energy and contender Raila Odinga. He suggests that an independent agent handle the poll to choose the party’s national flag bearer. Odinga, who is KANU secretary-general, also wants the agent to supervise the election of party officials in KANU’s 210 branches and prepare a register of all delegates.

The Simeon Nyachae-fronted PCK accuses KANU of using state resources to campaign for the party and Cabinet Minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s presidential bid. Nyachae claims that President Moi is using state resources to campaign for Kenyatta during his recent visits to different parts of the country.

Church leaders in North Rift urge President Moi to reconsider his campaign for Cabinet Minister Uhuru Kenyatta. They urge him to treat all KANU presidential candidates equally and back the candidates who win the nominations.

August 8 – Cabinet Minister Katana Ngala withdraws from the KANU presidential nomination race and announces his support for Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, President Moi’s choice of successor. His decision follows a two-hour meeting with members of the Coast Parliamentary Group. Ngala denies being pressured to drop out of the race. "We have decided as a group that we swallow our pride and accept the fact that we all cannot become president," Ngala is quoted as saying.

MPs are split down the middle over KANU Secretary-General Raila Odinga’s proposal that the nomination exercise for KANU’s presidential candidate be conducted by a neutral and independent body such as the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK). Thirty-two MPs back Odinga’s proposal, while 28 MPs reject the suggestion, saying that Odinga’s main purpose in putting forth his suggestion was to "put the credibility and authority of the party Chairman [President Moi] into disrespect and ridicule."

Key NAK officials meet with Kenneth Matiba, leader of the unregistered Saba Saba Asili party, to discuss proposals of fielding candidates under NAK.

August 9 – Less than 12 hours after Minister of Lands and Settlement Katana Ngala pulls out of the presidential race, Minister of Information and Tourism Kalonzo Musyoka is being pressured to withdraw his candidacy. Musyoka’s Eastern Province colleagues were reportedly trying to convince Musyoka to step down and support the campaign of Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, President Moi’s favoured candidate. However, Musyoka says he is still in the race.

Parliament passes the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, which is now awaiting assent from President Moi. The legislation seeks to: extend the term of Prof. Yash Pal Ghai’s CKRC to January 3; wind up the CKRC on the day Parliament enacts a new constitution; shorten the time needed to ratify a draft constitution; have the House speaker and not the vice-president act as president should the office fall vacant; bar the acting president from running for the presidency in subsequent elections; and setting a calendar that would regulate House business and its dissolution, rather than having the president determine Parliament’s schedule.

President Moi rejects calls by KANU Secretary-General Raila Odinga that external supervisors oversee the KANU presidential nomination, saying that KANU is democratic and does not need outsiders to advise it on how to run elections.

A clerk and a registration officer with the Electoral Commission of Kenya are taken in for questioning over the loss of a blank voter’s book in Nyeri District. The two are in police custody following revelations that blank voters’ cards are in circulation in the district.

A group of lawyers led by T.J. Kajwang is threatening to sue President Moi for contravening Article 3 rule (iv) of the KANU Constitution by supporting Uhuru Kenyatta. The section requires the KANU chairman "to promote national consciousness, peace, and unity." The case will be filed in the High Court on August 15.

August 10 – Attorney General Amos Wako tables the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Regulations earlier this week. The regulations contain radical changes to election law such as the requirements that: presidential hopefuls need the support of 100 voters in five of the eight provinces; candidates pay Sh50,000 (US$650) to the Electoral Commission of Kenya plus collect 1,000 signatures to be eligible; and counting of ballots is to take place at polling stations, with results being announced at Divisional Headquarters.

A head-to-head confrontation develops between KANU chairman President Moi and KANU Secretary General Raila Odinga. Odinga maintains that he has political clout to win the party’s nomination thanks to the secret ballot that should be used to elect the party’s candidate when the delegates meet. Meanwhile, Odinga alleges that there is a plan to rig the party’s presidential nominations. He says the people planning to rig the nomination are currently collecting names of delegates who will feature in the exercise at Kasarani at date yet to be announced.

Muslims plan to name a presidential candidate of their choice, says Islamic Party of Kenya leader Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa.

August 11 - President Moi meets 3,000 elders from the Rift Valley in an effort to unite his own community behind Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta. Sources at President Moi’s closed-door meeting say that Kalenjin leaders and elders were cautious and wanted Moi to assure them that Kenyatta would protect the community’s interests.

The registration of voters will be made continuous according to new election regulations. Political parties will be involved in supervising the registration, which is expected to enfranchise more people.

NAC leaders Mwai Kibaki, Kijana Wamalwa, and Charity Ngilu conclude their meeting with Kenneth Matiba, head of the unregistered party Saba Saba Asili. They had hoped to convince him to join NAC in the hope of fortifying their efforts to remove KANU from power. Matiba rejects their offer and says he is still in the presidential race.

August 12 – Joseph Kamotho and Fred Gumo, fiery critics of President Moi's choice of successor Uhuru Kenyatta, are relieved of their ministerial posts. Kamotho, the Minister for Environment and Natural Resources who last March lost his post of KANU secretary general to former NDP chairman Raila Odinga, was replaced by Assistant Minister for Vocational Training Isaac Ruto. Gumo was the MP for Westlands and Assistant Minister in the Office of the President. Kamotho and Gumo were vocal in their support for the presidential candidacies of Vice-President George Saitoti and Transport and Communications Minister Musalia Mudavadi respectively.

Joseph Kamotho tells Kenyans that there could be a sinister motive in the ongoing campaign to "impose a leader" on them. He urges KANU's members to insist on electing a successor to President Moi instead of allowing him to handpick a leader for them.

FORD-Kenya MP Wafula Wamunyinyi urges Opposition leaders Mwai Kibaki (Democratic Party) and Charity Ngilu (National Party of Kenya) to step down in favour of FORD-Kenya chairman Wamalwa Kijana as NAK's flag bearer. Wamunyinyi says the party's MPs would ensure that the FORD-Kenya leader is NAK's presidential candidate, saying that the party's MPs had decided that Wamalwa was the most suitable candidate for the nomination and that their support for him was irreversible.

Veteran politician and former Butere MP Martin Shikuku announces that he is vying for the presidency in the coming general elections. The FORD-Asili party’s secretary general says he will "help the people dislodge KANU from power."

August 13 – The fall-out of the Joseph Kamotho and Fred Gumo sackings continue. President Moi appoints Safina MP Ngenye Kariuki, an influence from Central Province, to replace Minister of Vocational Training Isaac Ruto, who replaced Joseph Kamotho. Kariuki is an enthusiastic backer of Uhuru Kenyatta, President Moi’s choice of candidate. Kamotho says he has been sacked because of his membership in the Rainbow Alliance and that he failed to support Kenyatta.

Rules for nominating people to the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) are released. Six hundred and twenty-nine people are expected to attend the conference, which will discuss the draft constitution that the CKRC is expected to release by the middle of September. People nominated to attend the conference include all CKRC commissioners, MPs, and three representatives from each district, one of who must be a woman. In addition, religious organisations will have 35 representatives, 15 from professional bodies, 24 from women’s organisations, 23 NGO representatives, 16 people from trade unions, and 13 from other interest groups.

August 14 – President Moi chairs a closed-door meeting of senior KANU politicians. They are expected to discuss the inner revolt in KANU over President Moi’s support for Local Government Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, as well as formulate an agenda for the party’s upcoming national elections. Fifteen of KANU’s 23 national officials support Kenyatta’s candidacy, three have yet to declare their stand, three others vehemently oppose Kenyatta’s candidacy, and two who are running insist the presidential nominations should be transparent.

The Electoral Commission of Kenya will accept requests from political parties to supervise their nominations if all party officials unanimously agree upon these requests. The announcement comes in the wake of demands by a group in KANU that an independent organisation supervise the party’s presidential nomination.

August 15 – During the closed-door meeting that President Moi chaired, the 23 senior politicians who attended fight against one another over the succession issue. Many challenge President Moi to support all candidates equally. Cabinet Minister Nicholas Biwott upbraids three of the party’s four vice-chairmen for reneging on a promise they made to support President Moi’s choice of candidate. And Cabinet Ministers Bonaya Godana and Julius Sunkuli plead with members to respect President Moi and not subject him to ridicule.

Vice-President George Saitoti declares his candidacy for KANU’s presidential nomination. He says: "My service to this country [13 years as vice president] has prepared me to handle the challenges of leadership. It is, therefore, just and appropriate that I respond affirmatively to the calls by the Kenyan people that I offer myself for the nomination."

ENDS