Kalonzo remaking ODM-Kenya while quietly preparing for 2012

By FRED OLUOCH foluoch@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Saturday, September 25 2010 at 22:00
In Summary

Vice-President has met delegations from various regions to consolidate gains of 2007 and penetrate new grounds

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka is quietly preparing himself for the 2012 presidential contests by strengthening his ODM Kenya party and reaching out to various regions.

In the last three weeks, Mr Musyoka has held meetings with delegations from various regions in order to consolidate gains of 2007 and penetrate new grounds by linking with grassroots leaders.

He started by meeting civic leaders from Ukambani, then a delegation from Mt Elgon led by former MP Wilberfoce Kisiero, and last week met officials of the Democratic Party (DP) from Kisii.

And addressing a two-day workshop for ODM-K women leaders last week, the VP disclosed that plans were complete to open party offices in all the 47 counties in preparation for 2012.

The women leaders from across the country and were also addressed by party chairman Samuel Poghisio. The workshop was sponsored by the National Democratic Institute.

With President Kibaki out of the race, Mr Musyoka’s strategy is to try and inherit some areas that used to enjoy support like Kisii and upper Eastern.

Indeed, the Kisii delegation led by David Ogega, a parliamentary aspirant, alluded to the fact that Mr Musyoka should move fast to inherit Kibaki’s former stronghold in Kisii.

Mr Musyoka’s allies would like some reward for helping Kibaki form a government in early 2008 at a time when the President did not have the numbers and the dispute over the presidential elections was at its heights.

The reality of the new Constitution is that a presidential candidate will have to cultivate a national outlook, given that a winning candidate must get 25 per cent in half of the 47 counties.

Since joining the PNU coalition, Mr Kalonzo’s ODM-K seems to have taken a back seat.

The party has been rallying behind PNU candidates in all the past by-elections, except Wajir South where the party will present its own candidate.

However, signs that PNU could be on its deathbed has forced ODM-K bigwigs to re-awaken the party machinery ahead of 2012.

The problem with PNU – on whose ticket Mr Musyoka had hoped to contest – is that it was a lose coalition cobbled up for the sake President Kibaki’s re-election.

After that, the key potential presidential aspirants in 2012 within PNU seems to be scared of each other, in that they don’t want a situation where one person is given an undue advantage over others.

The players know that if PNU were to be strengthened, one person would emerge to take advantage of the collective effort, so they have decided to let it die.

In 2007, Musyoka positioned himself as the middle ground candidate between “two extremes” – President Kibaki and Raila Odinga of ODM.

Now, he is hoping that he will attract the support of some Kenyans who see him as a coming from a humble background compared to his opponents who have links with prominent political families.

One thing for sure is that Mr Musyoka prides himself as the first person from the larger Eastern Province – that comprise Ukambani, Meru, Isiolo, Marsabit and Moyale – to hold the post of the vice-president.

Apart from Martha Karua of Narc Kenya, who has declared her wish to succeed Kibaki as the president, other potential candidates such as Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Internal Security minister Prof George Saitoti, are still playing their cards close to their chest.

Meanwhile, Mr Musyoka has maintained that the Provincial Administration is here to stay.

Speaking at his Tseikuru home during the 4th memorial service for his late mother Sarah Malia, the Vice-President said he was optimistic that all MPs will support the issue of Provincial Administration once it is brought to Parliament for deliberations.

“No MP will dare to say chiefs must go,” said Mr Musyoka.

He said the government was working round the clock to coming up with ways of serving the people better through the Provincial Administration.

Mr Musyoka, who is also the minister for Home Affairs, said the government is doing everything possible to improve the living standards of Kenyans.

The memorial service which was conducted by Bishop Robert Mutemi was attended by Public Works Secretary Gideon Mulyungi, Tseikuru DC Stephen Momanyi, Mwingi County Council chairman Musyoka Wa Maiyu among others.