Why Raila Seeks Ramaphosa’s Mediation for Ruto Truce
Kenya’s political situation is precarious, as the two main political formations have adopted intransigent positions, resulting in an ongoing stalemate.
Initially, President William Ruto was hesitant to engage in dialogue with the opposition. Unexpectedly, he extended an invitation to opposition leader Raila Odinga for a one-on-one meeting via a cryptic tweet, indicating a possible willingness to engage in dialogue.
The Azimio Coalition, on the other hand, has adopted a firm stance, insisting on the participation of a reputable third-party mediator in any negotiations with President Ruto.
However, there have been obstacles to co-opting senior leaders from East Africa and the continent. In two separate interviews, Raila alleged that Ruto thwarted the efforts of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu to mediate between the conflicting parties.
Raila subsequently disclosed that the Head of State also declined Cyril Ramaphosa’s offer to mediate a ceasefire.
Raila stated explicitly that President Suluhu was in Kenya at the invitation of Ruto. It is simple to comprehend why the two camps resolved on Suluhu. Nairobi and Dar es Salaam have outstanding diplomatic relations.
The president of Tanzania is a level-headed leader who has demonstrated exemplary leadership during her tenure in office.
But why was Ramaphosa’s name suggested, and why would Raila, who is heading into a prospective meeting at a disadvantage, want the South African president at the negotiating table? Kenyans.co.ke examines the situation in depth.
ALSO READ: Ruto and Odinga Nearing Talks Amid Mounting Pressure
Ruto’s Crafty Nature
The leaders of Azimio la Umoja have accused Ruto of being deceitful and insincere in his demands for dialogue with his political adversary.
Close allies of Raila, such as National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi and Rarieda Member of Parliament Otiende Amollo, have criticized Ruto for how he extended the olive branch to Raila.
They questioned Ruto’s sincerity, particularly because he made the offer through his social media accounts rather than through more formal channels.
Raila Odinga shared the same sentiment and had doubts about Ruto’s sincerity.
“The President is being irreverent. If he desired to meet with me, he would not have sent a social media invitation.
“He is aware of my address, telephone number, and every other detail. He is essentially playing pranks. In an interview with Al Jazeera, the leader of Azimio described this as a “public relations exercise.”
Moreover, Azimio la Umoja was dissatisfied with Ruto’s team for their lack of commitment during Bipartisan negotiations.
Ruto’s team allegedly failed to implement previously agreed-upon resolutions, such as pausing the recruitment of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners, resulting in the collapse of negotiations.
Raila called off the first round of anti-government demonstrations in April 2023 after Ruto, in a live address to the nation, proposed bipartisan parliamentary discussions to end the impasse.
ALSO READ: Raila’s Swift Reply to Ruto’s Meeting Call
Ramaphosa as Intermediary
Ramaphosa and Raila share an interesting history extending back to 2007. In 2008, following the contested 2007 presidential election, Ramaphosa was among the leaders selected to mediate a truce between the former Prime Minister and former President, Mwai Kibaki (the late).
However, Ramaphosa withdrew from the negotiations when Kibaki’s side claimed he was too close to Raila, arguing that effective mediation requires the trust and support of all parties.
Ramaphosa quipped, “In my experience, you can only play this role effectively if you have the trust and full support of all parties involved in the mediation process.”
The present president of South Africa was a prominent businessman with mediation experience at the time.
He had participated in numerous negotiations. His recent mediation role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict exemplifies his experience.
What Professions Say
According to political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi, the verbal battle between the two political titans was simply a contest of egos.
“It is irrelevant how Raila is summoned to meet with Ruto. Ruto informed him that they can meet “whenever he is available.” Raila should respond that he is occupied on Twitter. However, he is available to meet Ruto at 3 am on Sunday. This has nothing to do with living expenses, Babaman (Raila). “It’s all about egos,” the political scientist tweeted.
Ahmed Hashi, a distinguished political scientist, added that the talks were necessary and advocated for the participation of former president Uhuru Kenyatta.
“Uhuru Kenyatta should also participate in these discussions because he is at the center of this country’s political concerns. Both individuals must be reconciled with the government, he stated.
Why Raila Seeks Ramaphosa’s Mediation for Ruto Truce
