Danstan Omari: Urges Matiang'i Back Ruto Amid Political Isolation

• Lawyer Danstan Omari has advised former CS Fred Matiang’i to drop his presidential bid and support President William Ruto for a second term.
• Omari believes Matiang'i lacks sufficient political backing and voter numbers, citing former President Uhuru Kenyatta's shift in support to Senator Edwin Sifuna.
• He emphasized that presidential success requires national mobilization and alliances beyond ethnic groups, which he argues Matiang'i and retired CJ David Maraga currently lack.
• Omari highlighted Kenya's constitutional requirement for a presidential winner to secure over 50% of the national vote and meet a county threshold.
• Omari clarified his current support for President Ruto stems from a personal and professional relationship, contrasting it with his past defense of Matiang'i as a client.

A successful candidate must secure over half of the total national vote, specifically 50 percent plus one, in addition to meeting a stipulated county threshold.

Nairobi-based legal professional Danstan Omari has publicly advised former Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to abandon his presidential ambitions. Omari's counsel extends to urging Matiang'i to instead lend his support to President William Ruto's campaign for a second term in office. This recommendation stems from Omari's assessment that Dr. Matiang’i currently lacks the necessary political endorsement and voter base to successfully contend for the nation's highest office.

According to Omari, Dr. Matiang’i's political standing has significantly diminished. He specifically pointed to a perceived shift in allegiance from former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who Omari identified as Matiang’i’s primary political benefactor. Omari claims that Kenyatta has now transferred his backing to Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, a prominent figure within the Linda Mwananchi movement. This change, Omari suggests, has left Dr. Matiang’i politically isolated, no longer commanding the extensive national political machinery he once possessed.

Omari further elaborated on the challenges facing Dr. Matiang’i, asserting that the former CS's political power to traverse the nation has waned considerably. He challenged both Dr. Matiang’i and other presidential aspirants from the Gusii community to demonstrate their capacity for national appeal. Specifically, Omari questioned whether these hopefuls have managed to attract substantial crowds, exceeding 500 individuals, at any rallies held outside the Kisii region. He emphasized that successful presidential politics necessitates broad national mobilization and the cultivation of alliances that extend beyond a candidate's ethnic or regional origins.

The lawyer's analysis concluded that Dr. Matiang’i cannot realistically mount a viable presidential campaign by relying predominantly on support from the Gusii community. Omari asserted that while Dr. Matiang’i initially emerged as a national political leader, his current trajectory suggests a return to a more localized political base. He cautioned the Gusii community against the misconception that Dr. Matiang’i could secure the presidency without forging a wider national coalition. Omari also extended his skepticism to the presidential viability of another notable Gusii politician, retired Chief Justice David Maraga, stressing the numerical limitations of the Gusii community in national presidential contests.

Omari underscored the stringent constitutional requirements for achieving the presidency in Kenya, which demand more than just regional popularity. A successful candidate must secure over half of the total national vote, specifically 50 percent plus one, in addition to meeting a stipulated county threshold. This legal framework, Omari argued, makes it impossible for a candidate to win by campaigning solely within their home region, such as Kisii.

Based on these constitutional mandates, Omari expressed his belief that neither Dr. Matiang’i nor former Chief Justice Maraga could independently attain the necessary electoral threshold. He reiterated that for any candidate from the Gusii community to have a realistic chance at the presidency, they must transcend political isolation and actively build alliances with diverse communities across the nation, acknowledging that numerical strength within a single community is insufficient for national victory.

Danstan Omari clarified that his current stance represents a significant shift from his previous support for Fred Matiang’i. He recounted having represented Dr. Matiang’i as a client when the former Cabinet Secretary faced arrest, and even personally appealed to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for intervention on his behalf during that period. However, Omari explicitly stated that he no longer offers Dr. Matiang’i his protection or support.

Omari explained that his current backing for President William Ruto is rooted in a personal and professional relationship. He identified President Ruto as a client, noting that he had represented him in a children’s matter. Furthermore, Omari described President Ruto as a personal friend and confirmed having worked with him. He concluded that, given these established ties, he could not abandon President Ruto in favor of other politicians with whom he does not share a similar depth of relationship.

Source: Original reporting via news reports