The sublime art of speaking from both sides of the mouth

Law professor Makau Mutua last week became the latest beneficiary of President William Ruto and Raila Odinga’s political bromance after the president appointed him as his senior adviser on constitutional affairs.

Mutua, who previously served as the spokesperson of Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance, of which Raila was a co-principal, has for long been a known fierce critic of Ruto’s administration.

His entry into government now brings to focus the number of ODM leaders who are now serving in Ruto’s government and have become his greatest defenders.

Apart from Mutua, the other leaders who have been the biggest critics of this regime and are now in government include Ali Hassan Joho, John Mbadi, Opiyo Wandayi and Wycliffe Oparanya, Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai and Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, Narok, Senator Olekina and Raila’s nephew Jaoko Oburu.

Yesterday, speaking in Suna East Constituency ahead of his two-day visit of Migori county, Ruto told ODM leaders that this is their government and should stay put.

“I want to give you an assurance that as the party leader of UDA that the commitment we made to ODM to work together is not going to be a working together to compete against each other, we are going to work and collaborate. It is better for us collaborating than competing,” he told them, while giving them assurances that this government is theirs “just like the people of UDA”.

“In any case I was the one who was the party leader of ODM then and so there is no way we are going to be at crossroads with each other.”

Siaya senator and Raila’s elder brother Oburu Odinga told those unhappy with the broad-based government such as Siaya governor to get out and allow them to continue enjoying the benefits of this administration.

“Those who are annoyed with this broad-based government are actually vomiting on us within, why don’t they get out and vomit from outside, we want our party ODM to have a nice smell and we want to move on with our people.”

Minority leader in the National Assembly and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed also assured Ruto of ODM in the broad-based government.

The sentiments by the duo comes at a time when Mutua has been under attack from Kenyans on social media for joining government yet previously he has boosted of how he turned down an invitation to support Ruto when he served as the Deputy President.

Mutua wrote in the piece after Ruto sent him an emissary to deliver his proposal: “I slapped myself to make sure I wasn’t in la-la land. I kept it together even though I am still reeling from the outlandish idea. Despite the shock.

In the strong worded column, the professor declined the offer, saying: “Mr Ruto and his campaign should read my lips – or rather the words from the tip of my pen. The answer is nyet. I can’t – and won’t – work with Mr Ruto. Never. Ever. Case closed.”

While he was serving in Azimio, Mutua has notably meddled with affairs of the Kenya Kwanza government twice on issues where President Ruto ended up falling out with key personalities who formed the inner circle of the cabinet and the ruling coalition.

In the first instance, he warned the judiciary from interfering with the impeachment process of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in September 2024.

He took to his X account and tweeted: “The courts have no role whatsoever —none — in the impending impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. This is a political question for the political branches to settle. The judiciary must keep off, and not meddle!”

Man of honour

Five months later, in February, he was at it again, urging beseeched former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi to resign from office rather than serve in a government that he was uncomfortable with, a move he described as hypocrisy.

“Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi must resign from office if he’s a man of honour. How can he squat in a public office in a government he so violently and virulently disagrees with? Come on, brother, don’t be a hypocrite,” Mutua wrote on his X account.

Gachagua and Muturi would later leave their government positions, pointing to the possibility that Raila men, including Mutua, had influenced their ousting to some degree.

His appointment to join the broadening team of Ruto’s advisers came days after Jaoko Oburu, nephew to Raila, was also appointed as an economic adviser.

Immediately after his appointment, Jaoko wrote on his X account: “I wish to take this opportunity to give special thanks to H.E. President William Samoei Ruto for granting me an opportunity to serve Kenyans by appointing me to serve in the capacity of Special Advisor, Economic Empowerment, and Sustainable Livelihoods.”

Prior to his hiring into government office, Jaoko, who is the son of Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga, maintained a low profile away from engaging in politics.

However, his kin, including his father Senator Oburu who have in the past criticised Ruto’s administration but have since changed tune, is considered among the greatest cheerleaders of this administration.

The senator was recently appointed as the Senator Energy Committee chairman in sweeping changes that saw dissenting members of the Kenya Kwanza alliance lose their Parliament committee leadership positions after the formation of the broad-based government.

Narok Senator Ledama Olekina who was also known to be opposed to Ruto’s administration before and after the 2022 General election has since softened his stance after Raila agreed to partner with Ruto in the formation of broad-based government.

Among the notable instances where he openly told off Ruto’s government is during the consideration of the 2024 Finance Bill, where he accused the government of being dishonest by introducing taxes rejected by Kenyans.

Delivering votes

“The dishonesty in this government is on another level! Listen, Kenyans, the Finance Bill is normally used to amend various legislation. Now that Kenyans have said to reject the Finance Bill 2024, expect the executive to introduce independent amendments quietly to achieve their and IMF objectives of raising taxes!” he wrote on his social media accounts.

However, when the tables turned, Senator Olekina became an ally of Ruto, where he promised to deliver to him 1.4 million votes from the Maasai community so that he could clinch his presidential re-election bid in 2027.

During Easter festivities, when Ruto attended a church service in Narok, Senator Olekina said that the President is now the spokesman of the community, telling off those eyeing the seat for derailing the Maasai’s focus on important matters like development.

Other Raila associates who turned out to be President Ruto’s defenders include Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai and Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, who are more vocal on social media than senior government communication officials.

They joined the ever-increasing opposition politicians joining the same government that they once criticised and becoming its strongest supporters.

When they joined the government to the dismay of Opposition supporters, the ODM party said it donated them to Ruto as a team of experts to help him stabilise the government after the Gen Z protests in June last year.

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