In the run up to the 2022 election, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) sought to form a coalition that roped in both Ford Kenya and Amani National Congress (ANC).

Details have now emerged on how President William Ruto formed pre-election agreements with various political parties ahead of the 2022 polls.

In documents seen by PD Weekendi, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula of Ford Kenya and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi’s now defunct Amani National Congress (ANC) were promised 30 per cent share of positions in the National government.

In addition, the ANC and Ford Kenya were also to be given 30 per cent share of Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Ambassadors/High Commissioners, chairpersons of State Corporations and Chairpersons of Constitutional Commissions, provided that the share was to be shared between the two political parties.

“Parameters and details of the sharing of positions of responsibility in the National Government pursuant to this Article shall be contained in a separate schedule to this agreement which schedule shall be negotiated and executed before the date of the General Elections scheduled for August 9, 2022,” reads part of the Kenya Kwanza coalition agreement.

Once Ruto assumed power, his Kenya Kwanza administration was also to fulfill development obligations on a priority basis including completion of all existing incomplete or stalled bitumen road projects within Busia, Vihiga, Bungoma, Kakamega and Trans Nzoia counties in Western region as at August 9, 2024.

According to the deal, President Ruto’s administration was also to construct a cumulative 1,000km of new bitumen roads, allocate nationally raised revenue for the revival and modernization of Mumias Sugar Factory, Nzoia Sugar Factory as well as other sugar factories.

In addition, the Kenya Kwanza administration was also to establish manufacturing, fisheries, agro-processing or housing projects.

“The development projects herein specified are priority projects which shall be implemented alongside other projects to be identified within the normal and ordinary course of development planning of the government of Kenya,” reads part of the agreement.

In return, Mudavadi’s ANC and Wetang’ula’s Ford Kenya were to actively support and campaign for the then coalition’s Presidential and Deputy Presidential candidates nominated by UDA pursuant to the provisions of the agreement.

However, the same agreements states that notwithstanding the contents of the article, the founding member parties committed to make any adjustments that may be necessary to accommodate the development priorities of the other parts of the country to ensure equitable distribution of Kenya’s national resources and wealth for the benefit of every citizen and every part of Kenya.

A spot check by People Daily revealed that with only two years to the 2027 polls, none of the promises on projects had been achieved with the President only dishing out Sh150 million bonuses to farmer of Mumias Sugar Factory to the chagrin of other farmers from other millers.

According to the agreement, Ruto has already honoured a clause in the agreement, which had mandated him to among other things nominate an ANC nominee to the Prime CS position within 14 days of being sworn in.

“The President of the Republic elected under the coalition ticket, shall by Executive order Publish in the Kenya Gazette, assign substantive functions to the Prime CS,” reads the agreement.

However, the agreement also provides for variation of the agreement signed before the August 2022 general elections.

“This agreement may be amended and/or varied in writing through a Deed of Variation and /or a schedule to this Agreement, provided that such Deed of variation and /or schedule is approved and /or signed by all members of the Party Leaders Forum,” reads the agreement.

In addition, the agreement stipulates that any party in breach of the agreement or any of its schedules/deeds of variations will be notified by the Chairperson of the Coalition Secretariat of the Breach.

“This agreement shall terminate on the date of the 2027 General Elections provided that the agreement may be extended for such a period and subject to such terms and conditions as may be agreed by consensus of the Party Leaders Forum.”

Emuhaya MP Omboko Milemba while acknowledging that the both ANC and Ford Kenya were to be given 30 per cent stake in the Kenya Kwanza government, it did not mean that all the positions were for the Luhya community.

According to Milemba, the 30 per cent share of the positions at both the Cabinet and Principal Secretaries level was achieved, however, they spread the positions across the country.

“It is true that Ford Kenya and ANC were to be given 30 per cent. However, the agreement does not specify that the positions must be given to only the Luhya community. We spread them to others from other community. Both ANC and Ford Kenya are national political parties,” said Milemba.

Milemba further charges that although ANC merged with UDA, they are still focused in asking for more developments and positions not only for the people of Western but across the country.

Five Western counties of Busia, Kakamega, Bungoma, Vihiga and Trans Nzoia were to also reap huge benefits if Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya formed the government in the August 2022 polls.

The then Azimio la Umoja Presidential candidate Raila Odinga signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Western leaders that if he were to be elected, he would nominate former National Assembly Speaker Ken Marende, as next Senate Speaker.

Apart from that, Raila also promised to name three Cabinet Secretaries from the Western region, seven Principal Secretaries, five positions for the Chief Administrative Secretaries, 12 Ambassadorial positions, 10 positions of the parastatal chairpersons, 100 posts of the Parastatal board members and National Assembly majority leader’s position.