‘Kalonzo should take cue from Raila and retire’ – Jimi Wanjigi
Former Safina presidential aspirant Jimi Wanjigi has poked holes in former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka's bid to take over the Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition leadership mantle from longstanding opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Kalonzo is seeking to ride on Raila's candidacy for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship to rally other Azimio bigwigs to back his 2027 presidential ambitions.
However, Wanjigi on Sunday, March 3 criticized the Wiper leader's candidature, saying he has nothing new to offer.
Instead, Wanjigi asked the seasoned politician to take a cue from Raila and hang his political boots.
He argues that the politicians are part of Kenya's problem and should exit the stage to pave the way for a new crop of vibrant leaders.
"The Azimio coalition is dredging the political landscape and pulling out people who have been part of Kenya's problem and presenting them as solutions, as the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition is busy scheming on how to take credit on Mr Odinga's candidacy and how to reap from it.
"Kalonzo Musyoka has hit the road positioning himself to take over leadership, but he should just take the cue from Raila and retire. He has nothing new to offer Kenyans and instead should usher in a new leadership in his own Wiper party," Wanjigi stated.
Citing the government's endorsement of Raila for the AU job, the renowned businessman-turned-politician alluded that the opposition had been compromised to drop their hard stance on the Kenya Kwanza administration's 'punitive' policies that continue to hurt the economy.
"A few weeks ago, my very good friend, the Rt. Hon. Rolla Odinga expressed his desire for the African Union Chairmanship position and honestly given his many years of impactful leadership in this country and beyond, I can confidently say he is the right man for the job.
"What I don't understand however, is why since his declaration, the people's agenda, which we were made to believe, his coalition was championing has been put on hold, and now the focus is on; if and when he takes the seat, who is going to benefit and how," Wanjigi said.
He termed the turn of events "callous, selfish and disappointing."
"Kenyans are struggling to afford something as basic as a meal and school fees. The so-called bottom-up economic model has become bottom-down. In this day and time, how do we as a country lose 53 lives to banditry?
"The government is at the same time busy deploying 1,000 police officers to Haiti for not peacekeeping but war. Since the prime minister of Haiti has visited Kenya in reciprocation Ruto should visit Haiti and see what the situation really is like before sending our officers there," he added.
Turning his guns on President Ruto, Wanjigi said the Head of State, who rode to power on an ambitious plan to elevate the common man, offers no hope for change.
"We have one problem in Kenya, it is William Ruto, he is status quo. He is continuity of the same problems he helped create that have brought us here. The same people who created the problems cannot get us out of it. He offers no hope nor real change," Wanjigu lamented.
He vowed not to remain silent until Kenya achieves real change.
"Fellow Kenyans, I understand and share in your pain. We have got a lot of challenges in our great Country. But equally, we got enormous strengths. We are optimistic people. We beam daily with hope. We are known for unrelenting fights for change. We have always shown a greater togetherness.
We are going to win our economic and financial work,' future. Don't doubt. We won't throw our hands and give up. We will not quite. I will not quit until real change is achieved in Kenya," he concluded.
