Why Opposition government may nolonger exist in 2019

A strong opposition Parliament had given ruling party Jubilee sleepless nights, but does this still exist? The National Super Alliance (NASA) had a combined strength of at least 127 MPs, drawn from four affiliate parties , well above the one-third threshold required to table impeachment motions against Cabinet Secretaries

ODM leader Raila Odinga seems to have joined the government after his March 9 handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta but has vehemently dismissed suggestions that his handshake and appointment mean that he has joined the government.

“This whole hullabaloo that the opposition is dead is a media creation,” Raila said after recently meeting Embu political leaders.

“I have not joined the government. There is nothing stopping me from criticising the government. We only have a working arrangement.”

The opposition chief explained that his appointment should be viewed within the larger context of Kenya’s efforts to broker nationwide healing and reconciliation, and not through a narrow political prism.

“We all agreed we were coming from a very difficult situation which required mediation and that’s what we have done with the Building Bridges Initiative. There is nothing saying that I have joined the government,” the ex-PM said. But do you think he is?

Political analysts and governance experts say the opposition has been dealt a fatal blow.

The March 9 handshake marvel agreed on an elaborate work-plan to address the historical issues that bedevil the nation since independence.

Uhuru and Raila had struck a deal to deal with ethnic antagonism and competition, lack of national ethos, inclusivity, devolution, safety, security and corruption.

They formed a 14-member task force that would work out the practical steps to be taken to implement the eight-point agenda and publicly, in a rare show of camaraderie, after a year of antagonism, pledged to “stand together” to pursue the country’s shared prosperity.

Kenyans will look up to the team in the New Year to see what practical solutions they will offer to solve the historical issues, but do you think come the new year, opposition will still be existing?

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