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The Legacy of Fear: How the Shadow of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Shaped Kenya's Political Landscape In the annals of Kenya's political history, the events of 1969 stand out as a defining moment marked by fear, coercion, and manipulation. The political tension surrounding Jaramogi Oginga Odinga's candidature led to a series of oath-taking ceremonies in Gatundu that forever altered the fabric of Kenyan society. Understanding this historical context is crucial, especially when contemporary politicians attempt to invoke these dark chapters for political gain. The Fear of Jaramogi and the Birth of the Gatundu Oath The roots of the infamous Gatundu oath can be traced back to the fear and propaganda surrounding Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the former vice-president and then-leader of the opposition. By 1969, the political landscape in Kenya was charged with tension. The assassination of Cabinet Minister Tom Mboya on 5th July 1969 had already set a volatile backdrop. Within this context, Pr

Kibaki rejects power sharing

Bandit President Mwai Kibaki and affiliate parties have rejected any power sharing deal that would "violate the Kenyan constitution". Kibaki was referring to People's President Raila Odinga's proposal to have the position of prime minister -head of government - while Kibaki would remain head of state.

However, Kibaki "expressed his willingness" to include the opposition in a government of national unity which must conform with the existing constitution. PNU affiliate parties have threatened not to back any agreement that does not emerge from the existing constitutional arrangement. "Agreeing to enter into a quick fix for the sake of Raila is a betrayal of the people of Kenya and the constitution. Legitimizing an illegal deal that violates the constitution will mean that we will be playing in creating an illegal office of the prime minister'', said Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula. Despite mounting pressure from the international community for Kibaki and Odinga to seal a power-sharing deal to end the bloody post-election violence, Kibaki remains in a hard line position.

Kofi Annan is among the leaders who have proposed for the formation of a grand coalition to include ODM and PNU. On Monday, US Secretary of State Condelezza Rice called upon the two leaders to work towards a power-sharing arrangement. "We hope that a power-sharing deal will be reached soon. It is only through such an arrangement that peace and security will return", Rice said in Nairobi. The EU has called for a compromise and warned that anyone sabotaging the talks would be 'punished'.

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