Kenya’s Ruling Jubilee Party Reels in Two More Opposition Groups
Kenya’s Ruling Jubilee Party Reels in Two More Opposition Groups
Kenya’s ruling Jubilee Party signed cooperation agreements with two more opposition groups, boosting President Uhuru Kenyatta’s support in parliament as he considers an overhaul of the constitution.
The alliance widens a fissure between Kenyatta’s supporters and those of his deputy William Ruto. The relationship between the two men has deteriorated since Kenyatta’s rapprochement with the main opposition leader Raila Odinga in March 2018. Ruto is seeking to replace his boss at the next election in 2022.
The deal with Wiper Democratic Movement and Chama Cha Mashinani comes five weeks after a similar agreement with the Kenyan African National Union led by Gideon Moi, scion of the nation’s second president.
The agreement is likely to strengthen the president’s position as lawmakers consider his proposal for a referendum to make constitutional changes on how the nation is governed. Changes that Kenyatta and Odinga have in mind include expanding the government’s executive to give broader representation to the nation’s multiple ethnic groups.
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