No deal yet on Kenya Kwanza posts – Mudavadi
Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi yesterday declared that the Kenya Kwanza Alliance has not settled on a presidential candidate.
Mudavadi who has entered into an alliance with Deputy President (DP) William Ruto alongside Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetangula said the naming of the candidate was a work in progress.
The ANC boss seemed to be fighting a perception that he will play second fiddle to the DP or be appointed chief minister if their newly minted alliance wins the presidency.
Addressing the media after a church service at St Faith Parish, ACK in Rongai, Mudavadi said the alliance’s task at the moment is to unite Kenyans and ensure the country is peaceful.
“Yes, ultimately we shall name the candidate who will fly the Kenya Kwanza flag in the elections. However, at the moment our priority is to unite Kenyans and ensure we have a peaceful election,” he said.
Mudavadi said his decision to team up with Ruto was well thought out after wide consultations within his ANC party.
Political earthquake
He noted that Ruto’s ideals for the Kenyan economy are in tandem with that of his party’s which seeks to revive the already bleeding economy.
Under the Uchumi Bora, Pesa Mfukoni call, ANC has synchronised its call with the UDA’s bottom-up economy, and they seek to empower struggling Kenyans through interest-free loans and grants to jump-start businesses.
Mudavadi maintained that joining Ruto was after the realisation that the One Kenya Alliance (OKA), where he was a co-principal with Kalonzo Musyoka of Wiper party, Gideon Moi of Kanu and Wetang’ula was a government project meant to stall his ambitions.
“OKA was a project just as Azimio movement. The State projects will ultimately stall and I ask Kenyans to reject State-sponsored projects,” he said.
Mudavadi said he pulled out of OKA after realising that Kalonzo and Gideon appeared sympathetic to Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja Movement.
The ANC leader instead said he will not be distracted by political noise and harsh reactions, terming the attack on him as effects of the political earthquake he declared.
Raila has described Mudavadi’s move as “inconsequential” while Musyoka has termed it an act of betrayal.
“I did not betray anybody. The noise you are hearing is just the effects of a political earthquake. In my engagement with OKA partners, I realised they are clinging to Azimio la Umoja. As ANC we opted to instead choose to stand with people who are very categorical, that they are not willing to be part of Azimio,” said Mudavadi
Mudavadi said the question of if or not he will be on the ballot box in the August 9 polls is a non-issue, that he is not keen to address.
“Whether I will be on the ballot as a presidential candidate or not, is not an issue for now but Kenyan priorities,” he said.
After promising an earthquake he proclaimed would shake the country’s political scene, Mudavadi has gone ahead to shed the soft character he is known for and appears ready to face whoever stands in his way.
From last Sunday in Bomas to yesterday in Kajiado, Mudavadi has adopted a take-no-prisoners attitude responding in kind to those who dare face him or question his decisions.
He has dropped the humble mien he is commonly associated with and is now going for the jugular after striking a deal with Ruto
On Wednesday, in an uncharacteristic version, he directly responded to President Uhuru Kenyatta telling off the Head of State without mincing words following reports that Uhuru had accused the ANC leader of betrayal.
“Mr President, you have the right to be disappointed with me. But I want to tell you Kenyans are even more disappointed in you. They are hungry, they are tired. Let us not lie to each other,” Mudavadi said during a rally in Eldama Ravine.
Combative mood
Reports indicated the Head of State told leaders from Western region, who he hosted at State house last Tuesday how he felt betrayed by Mudavadi, after joining hands with his estranged deputy.
In yet another no-holds-barred response, Mudavadi told the President it was not his business to share his enemies with others, adding he was free to work with whoever he wanted.
After Eldama Ravine, Mudavadi was still in a combative mood in Nakuru, when he took on those he said were questioning his renewed association with Ruto.
It was the same rejuvenated Mudavadi in Bungoma and Kirinyaga counties, who appeared ready to vibrantly take the fight to opponents in Azimio La Umoja. The ANC leader has since dismissed Azimio as a “spectre” he will never be part of.
When he spoke to People Daily recently, Mudavadi was categorical that no one should deny Kenyans their constitutional right to associate with those they want.
“My friendship with the President is one thing and I respect him as the President of the Republic of Kenya. He has his political views, political persuasion and I have mine. I respect his position whether I agree with it or not and I suppose he would do the same in my case as a democrat,” he said.
Allies said even though he was adopting a more vigorous stand on politics, it was still not clear what the was after with only six months to the General Election.
This has been informed by the revelation that Ruto; who is barred by law from being anyone’s running mate in the next polls, would pick a deputy from Mt Kenya leaving Mudavadi without any significant portfolio in the alliance.
A political analyst and strategist Dr Franklin Kaburu, yesterday said Mudavadi’s renewed vigour may not help him to turn the tide in his favour in his backyard, after dozens of allies left him once he inked a partnership with Ruto.
Gain power
“He could be sounding tough in the hope he will change the state of affairs in his favour. Since Sunday things are not looking good for him. Despite the toughness, he is still not viewed as a serious presidential candidate within and outside his circles,” said Dr Kaburu, who is also Secretary General, Party for Peace and Democracy.
Some of his allies, however, say the party leader was still in the race for the Presidency and was looking for partners to support his ambitions.
Emuhaya MP Omboko Milemba, who attended the party’s parliamentary meeting last Tuesday, said Mudavadi was still determined to go all the way to the ballot as a presidential candidate.
However, former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, ruled out this possibility saying it was Ruto who will fly the new alliance’s flag. Khalwale said there are ongoing discussions on what positions Mudavadi and Wetang’ula will get once they gain power.
