Nicodemus Minde, Nairobi
Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in as the fourth president of Kenya
in a colorful occasion attended by many African leaders. It was evident in the
occasion that Tanzania’s president Jakaya Kikwete was abnormally close to
president Uhuru. President Kikwete and President Kenyatta sat together during
the state luncheon held at state house. Kikwete, who like Uhuru, is the fourth
president of his country. President Kikwete, on behalf of all other invited heads
of state and government was tasked to give a vote of thanks after the state
lunch. Despite the close historical cooperation between Tanzania and Kenya, the
newly found love between Uhuru and Kikwete reveal a number of hidden political
dynamics, mostly within the corpus of Tanzanian politics.
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| Uhuru and Kikwete discuss a point |
Tanzania and Kenya have historically been close regional
partners. Though founded on different ideological backgrounds, the two nations
have worked closely together for decades. Their relationship has been mostly on
the premise of trade, commerce and investments. Close cultural, lingual and
historical backgrounds have been the fulcrum of their closely knit
relationship. The cordial relationship between Tanzania and Kenya has been
cemented further by the East African Community.
Back to the Kikwete-Uhuru close relationship. It is recalled
that Uhuru Kenyatta, during his campaign visited Tanzania with a delegation of
the Jubilee coalition team. Kikwete hosted Uhuru and his team in Dar-es-Salaam
statehouse, where they discussed a number issues. Though he visited a host of
many other countries, Uhuru’s reception in Dar-es-Salaam was better organized
and far from impromptu as the others. It should further be recalled that Uhuru
Kenyatta’s closest competitor in the March 4 election, Raila Odinga is big
friend to Tanzania’s leading opposition party Chama cha Democrasia na Maendeleo
(CHADEMA). It is believed that Chadema offered Raila Odinga a number of
campaign material such as helicopters and campaign trucks and musicians pro bono. With Kikwete as the chairman
of the ruling party Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), the generous gesture by Chadema
towards Raila Odinga was an act of war and therefore, CCM had to support Uhuru
Kenyatta. This of course was not done in the open but through proxy. When Uhuru
Kenyatta prevailed over Raila Odinga, it was not only a victory for the Jubilee
coalition but for CCM in retrospect. The political battle between CCM and
Chadema, by proxy was fought and won in the Kenyan elections. As Tanzania gears
up for the next general election, the psychological victory by CCM will to an
extent influence the campaigns.
