EXCLUSIVE: The Kenya Kwanza power structure revealed

Details of the Kenya Kwanza coalition agreement read like a return on investment, reap-what-you-sow power sharing deal.

The elaborate primary document, drawn by Tharaka Nithi Senator Prof. Kithure Kindiki, was deposited with the Registrar of Political Parties on Sunday night, just before the deadline for coalitions to outline how they will relate before, during and after the general election, as well as power sharing and government structures should they clinch the presidency.

In the power structure outlined in the Kenya Kwanza coalition agreement, the presidential flag bearer position is reserved for United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party headed by Deputy President William Ruto.

The running mate slot is also reserved for UDA, and particularly for the Mt. Kenya region. Save for the names of potential candidates, this geo-location hint is expected is expected to end any further speculation on the Ruto running mate question.

The Kenya Kwanza power deal allocates Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi the Prime Cabinet Secretary slot if Ruto clinches the presidency in the August State House race.

The National Assembly Speaker’s seat is reserved for Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula and his Ford Kenya party, according to the Kenya Kwanza coalition agreement.

The Senate speaker’s slot is allocated to Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) led by Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi who defected to the Kenya Kwanza over the weekend.

The coalition agreement provides for a cabinet with 21 ministries that will be shared out in line with the pact.

In the Ruto power structure, Mudavadi and Wetangula will be allocated 30 per cent of the appointive government positions should Kenya Kwanza win in the August polls.

This includes the Prime Cabinet Secretary and 6 Cabinet Secretary slots, National Assembly Speaker and priority development projects in Western Kenya region.

To secure these plum slots, the coalition agreement schedule requires Mudavadi and Wetangula to deliver at least 70 per cent of the Western Kenya votes that will be cast in the August presidential race.

The five counties of Kakamega, Bungoma, Vihiga, Busia and Trans Nzoia, which is administratively under Rift Valley region but politically part of the Western region, have a combined total of 2,592,437 registered voters.

Part of the priority development projects negotiated by Mudavadi and Wetangula in the coalition agreement includes completion of all incomplete or stalled bitumen roads, 1,000 kilometers of new bitumen roads and resources to revive and modernise sugar factories such as Mumias and Nzoia.

Such projects are however subject to adjustments to accommodate development priorities of other parts of the country.

The primary Kenya Kwanza coalition agreement has three founder parties; UDA, ANC and Ford Kenya, who shall be allocated Parliamentary leadership positions on pro-rata basis, depending on the number of Parliamentary seats won by each party.

Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi, who ditched Azimio la Umoja One Kenya team for Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza has negotiated for the Senate Speaker slot, in the coalition agreement signed on Sunday night.

He also secured a political promisory note for his supporters’ appointment to top management positions at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).

The agreement’s schedule however requires Kingi and his Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) party to secure for Ruto at least 50 per cent of the presidential votes cast in Kilifi County in the August State House race; Kilifi County has 582,631 registered voters.

In the agreement, Kingi’s PAA party will also be supported by the coalition in the race for Malindi, Magarini, Ganze, Rabai and Kaloleni parliamentary seats.

Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap negotiated for a Cabinet Secretary slot in a ministry relevant to infrastructure or public utilities, such energy or water, in the Kenya Kwanza government, if Ruto wins in the August presidential race.

If Mutua misses the ministerial flag, he commits to settle for nomination in either the National Assembly or Senate and backed to clinch the majority or minority leader in either of the Houses.

He must however garner for Ruto at least 35 per cent of the presidential votes cast in three counties of Ukambani; Machakos, Kitui and Makueni that have a combined voter population of 1.7 million people.

It is an area considered a stronghold of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who is jostling for the running mate slot in the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party.

And to avert the friction witnessed between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto, the Kenya Kwanza coalition agreement outlines and demarcates functions of the DP and the Prime Cabinet Secretary.

The deputy president, according to the agreement, will chair all cabinet committees, oversee implementation of cabinet decisions, coordinate relations between the national and county governments, coordinate planning and supervision of projects and programmes funded by development partners, coordinate constitutional commissions and independent bodies in matters that require national government intervention and undertake any other functions assigned by the president.

Ruto, who in a previous interview with Inooro TV, lamented over what he termed mistreatment by President Kenyatta, if he wins, will be required by the coalition agreement to respect, defend, guarantee stature, dignity, financial and operational autonomy of the deputy president’s office.

On the other hand, the Prime Cabinet Secretary, who will be appointed through an Executive order within 14 days if Kenya Kwanza clinches the presidency, will be allocated five functions.

Top among them; assisting the president and deputy president in coordination and supervision of government ministries and state departments, overseeing implementation of national government policies, chairing and coordinating government legislative agenda across all ministries and state departments for transmission to Parliament through leadership of both Houses as well as coordinating and supervising the technical monitoring and evaluation of government policies and projects.

Other than the three prime constituent members of the coalition, Kenya Kwanza has 11 other associate parties, and is seeking more to sign up, through the provision of post election coalitions.

According to the general agreements signed between the three Kenya Kwanza founder parties and additional member parties, the 11 parties, among them DP, Tujibebe, TSP and Chama Cha Kazi will be allocated a share of the government, based on their contribution, including the number of parliamentary and county seats garnered.

The coalition’s highest decision making organ; the party leaders forum, will be chaired by Ruto with Mudavadi and Wetangula as members.