Mt Kenya mutterings
As the 2027 election approaches, cracks are emerging in Kenya’s broad-based government. Legislators allied to William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Oburu Oginga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) are already clashing over a yet-to-be-formulated power-sharing agreement. Will the center hold, or will it crumble?
Gabriel Kangombe, MP for Gatundu South, sensed trouble early on. During a closed-door joint parliamentary meeting for UDA and ODM members in Naivasha, the master of ceremonies invited Homa Bay County Women Representative Joyce Osogo, popularly known as Bensuda, to lead the attending legislators, governors, and ministers in a word of prayer.
Choosing Bensuda to deliver the opening prayer was telling, says Kangombe.
“She prayed, ‘Please, Lord, help us as the people of ODM to secure the deputy president’s seat.’ It felt like a company secretary reading a pre-arranged meeting agenda. It was completely choreographed,” Kangombe tells The Africa Report.
