Inside DP Ruto's controversial Kenya Kwanza power-sharing agreement

The Kenya Kwanza Alliance submitted its coalition agreement with the Registrar of Political Parties on Sunday, just moments before the deadline for coalitions to outline how they will operate before, during and after the general election.

According to the document drawn by Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki, the political outfit has outlined an elaborate power-sharing structure that prominently features the founder alliance parties in the formation namely UDA, ANC and FORD-Kenya parties.

In the alliance’s agreement, the flag-bearer position has been reserved for the Deputy President William Ruto-led UDA party.

The party’s running mate’s position has also been reserved for the UDA party albeit with special preference for candidates from the Mt. Kenya region. This puts to rest the party’s contentious issue of where Ruto’s running mate will come from.

According to the agreement, the deputy president will chair all cabinet committees, coordinate relations between the national government and the county governments, 

The DP will also coordinate constitutional commissions and independent bodies in matters that require national government intervention and coordinate planning and supervision of projects and programmes funded by development partners.

The deputy president will also perform other functions as may be assigned by the president.,

Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC party bags the position of the Prime Cabinet Secretary if Kenya Kwanza Alliance wins the August elections.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary will be appointed through an executive order that will be issued within 14 days of Ruto assuming power if elected.

His functions will include assisting the president and his deputy in coordinating and supervising government ministries and state departments.

He will also oversee the implementation of the national government’s policies and state departments for the transmission to Parliament through the leadership of both Houses and coordinate and supervise the technical monitoring and evaluation of government policies and projects.

Moses Wetangula and his FORD-Kenya party have been allocated the National Assembly Speaker’s position.

Newcomer Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi and his PAA party will bag the Senate Speaker’s seat.

In the Kenya Kwanza coalition agreement, there are 21 ministries which will be allocated according to the deal which also says Mudavadi and Wetangula will take 30 per cent of all government appointive positions.

That means the Western Kenya region will have 6 cabinet secretary slots, National Assembly Speaker’s seat, Prime Cabinet Secretary’s position, and will also enjoy prioritised development projects.

The priority projects identified by Mudavadi and Wetangula in the deal include the completion of 1,000 kilometres of tarmac roads and the revival and modernisation of sugar-producing factories in the region such as the Mumias and Nzoia sugar companies.

Execution of the projects will be subject to adjustments to favour other priority projects in other regions within Kenya.

However, all these perks do not come easy, but Mudavadi and Wetangula have an uphill task to deliver 70 per cent of the Western Kenya votes in the August elections for their presidential candidate.

The founder parties of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance will also share parliamentary leadership seats according to each party’s strength in numbers.

For Kingi and his PAA party to secure his Senate Speaker’s seat and his supporter’s appointments to plum positions at the Kenya Ports Authority, he will also have to ensure 50 per cent of presidential votes cast in Kilifi County are in favour of Ruto.

According to the deal, the alliance will support the PAA party in campaigning for parliamentary seats for Malindi, Ganze, Rabai, Kaloleni and Magarini.

Another latecomer who joined the formation at the last minute, Alfred Mutua and his Maendeleo Chap Chap party were also considered in the Kenya Kwanza deal.

Mutua negotiated for a cabinet secretary slot in an infrastructure or public utilities related ministry if Ruto wins the August election.

But just like his counterparts in the formation, Mutua will need to deliver 35 per cent of the presidential votes to Ruto from Machakos, Makueni and Kitui counties.

In the agreement deposited by Kenya Kwanza, the other parties within the alliance will each be given a share of the government based on their numeric strengths in parliament and counties.