Why Kalonzo divorced Azimio team in a haste

It has now emerged Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka demanded to be shown the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance power-sharing agreement before he decided to quit the coalition.

His demands were, however, rebuffed, forcing him to bolt out of the alliance.  

Wiper Vice-Chairman Mutula Kilonzo Jnr revealed that they had been prodding the coalition leaders; presidential flagbearer Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta to present them with copies of the deal in vain.

The Makueni senator said he was forced to write to the Registrar of Political Parties, asking for the copy but his efforts still did not bear fruit.

“Where is the power-sharing agreement of Azimio? I was very displeased when we wrote to the registrar to give us a copy but the registrar wrote to us, saying we will collect the document from Junet Mohamed,” Mutula Jnr said.

Suna East MP is the Secretary General of Azimio Council. 

In an interview with People Daily yesterday, Mutula Jnr said they had not been informed about what Raila had for Kalonzo until he announced it at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre on Monday when he revealed Martha Karua as his running mate.

Mutula Jnr said they had expected any offer to his party leader to be ratified by any agreement deposited at the registrar’s office.

“They are offering a position that does not exist. The question of what position one takes in those coalitions should have been in a power-sharing agreement attached to the coalition agreement,” the senator added.

Party’s association

This was revealed as hundreds of Wiper aspirants, who were banking on the party’s association with Azimio to win seats, have found themselves in uncertainty after Kalonzo cut ties with the alliance.

The power-sharing agreement has been shrouded in secrecy with two other party leaders blaming failure to make it available to them for their decision to leave the outfit. 

Azimio’s rival Kenya Kwanza, led by Deputy President William Ruto, has made public its agreement even though it has attracted opposition from some quarters.

In it, Ruto appointed Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua the running mate and has offered Chief Prime Cabinet Secretary post to Amani National Congress party leader Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker position to Moses Wetang’ula of Ford Kenya.

Kalonzo’s decision to run for the presidency could dent Raila’s chances of scooping majority of votes in the lower Eastern region that comprises the three Ukambani counties of Kitui, Machakos and Makueni with a combined population of 1,697,003 voters, according to Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission data. 

Wiper Vice-Chairman Victor Swanya said Kalonzo’s announcement caught them by surprise. He said he was in his Kitutu Masaba constituency when he was informed that Kalonzo had ditched Azimio. 

 “As a party we have not held any meeting endorsing or sanctioning Kalonzo to run for presidency. What I know is that as Azimio coalition we are backing and supporting Raila for presidency,” he told People Daily.

Wiper Narok senator hopeful Andrew Sunkuli was lucky as he was plucked from the race to become Kalonzo’s running mate. However, other aspirants will now have to wait and see if their leader will act on his threats to abandon the coalition and run for the presidency alone or turn back and take the Chief Minister post the Azimio leader has offered him.  

Drawing board

When he was unveiled, Sunkuli acknowledged the awkwardness they were finding themselves in, saying up to Monday he had been campaigning for Raila the same day he was summoned by Kalonzo and offered the slot.    

Nyamira governor aspirant Ben Momanyi, a senior member of Wiper, said the party would not withdraw from the alliance yet. “Wiper is still in Azimio. It cannot withdraw as of now the current situation notwithstanding. Everything will be ironed out amicably. Let us focus on August 9polls,” Momanyi said.

While announcing his decision to sever ties with Raila, Kalonzo said they will challenge the amendments to the Political Parties Act passed early this year that tied them to Azimio.

In Kajiado, Wiper candidates, however, remained optimistic that Kalonzo’s move would boost them.

  They said the Wiper party had been eclipsed by Jubilee and ODM in the region.

 “We are happy because our party leader will now be more visible and drum up support for us. When he was under Azimio, we were largely disadvantaged because at any given time even during public rallies, he could not endorse us directly to avert conflict of interest with other partner parties,” said Gideon Toimasi, a Senate aspirant.

Kajiado Central MP aspirant Moses Birisha said they did not expect party affiliations will play a significant role in the forthcoming elections.