Kalonzo leaves his options open as Saboti MP intercedes

BY PETER OPIYO AND VITALIS KIMUTAI

Stunned by the cold shoulder given him by Mr Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr William Ruto, and cynical about their apparent change of heart, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka is reviewing his options.

While he does not want to aggravate relations between him and the Deputy Prime Minister and

Wiper Party Vice-Chair David Musila leads other party officials in addressing journalists at Wiper Party offices after a meeting. [PHOTOS: EVANS HABIL AND BONIFACE OKENDO/ STANDARD]

the Eldoret North MP, Kalonzo also does not want to be seen to have overstayed his welcome into the so-called G7 Alliance.

And so on Monday, for reasons of political exigency the VP sought the blessings of his Wiper Democratic Movement to go it alone in coming elections, while still leaving the option of sticking to Uhuru and Ruto, who have a bigger problem with The Hague, on his playing cards.

Kalonzo, against whom it is reported Uhuru and Ruto are uncomfortable he is just sticking to them with the hope of picking up their support should they fail to run, got the blessing from the WDM’s National Executive Committee to go it alone.

Sources revealed the Vice President was granted the option by NEC meeting held at the party headquarters after he expressed his willingness to pursue his presidential campaign outside the G7 team. "It is understood the committee granted his wish although he is still weighing the option of whether to stick with the alliance or not," said a WDM MP.

The developments came as WDM vice chairman David Musila, who briefed journalists after the meeting, said the party was concerned some of Uhuru’s and Ruto’s allies were keen to edge out Kalonzo from the alliance.

"We have confidence in the three gentlemen (Kalonzo, Uhuru and Ruto) but there are elements within this grouping that want to sideline the Vice President but we won’t succumb to this," announced Musila.

Later, in the evening Kalonzo and Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa, who is perceived to be Uhuru’s preferred running mate, held a private meeting at Ole Sereni Hotel, Nairobi, in what was seen as another attempt to stem further fallout in the alliance.

Kalonzo said Wamalwa had invited him to a meeting set for the weekend in North Rift and Western regions to be attended by Uhuru and Ruto.

"I am impressed my friend Eugene came to consult and invite me to rallies in Kitale and Bungoma set for the weekend. I have not said ‘no’ or ‘yes’ to him," Kalonzo said. This means he has left the invitation open.

Wamalwa reiterated need for unity and that Uhuru and Ruto were aware of his reaching out to Kalonzo. He added he was going to meet them later in the evening, another sign he could have been interceding for Kalonzo.

The VP suggested there might be need for total change of strategy to the approach to the alliance following the recent developments. 


BUILD CONFIDENCE

"We will need as leaders of the alliance to rebuild confidence amongst ourselves to where it was before. We should learn from past mistakes and be more organised," Kalonzo stated.

The VP has been under attack in the alliance over persistent remarks by Justice minister Mutula Kilonzo, who belongs to WDM, that Uhuru and Ruto should not run because of their cases at The Hague. As a result he was pressurised to initiate the process of his removal from Cabinet but he said he wasn’t taking such action.

Kalonzo conceded he had received a lot of flak from the alliance and the media, which portrayed him as jumping into a team where he was not wanted. The alliance, he said was not a tribal outfit and that it would not be possible for leaders to agree on all issues.

"There would not be second-guessing as to who the alternative candidate would be," he said. He said there were merchants of division and doom who wanted the alliance to crumble so they would benefit.

Sources at the NEC meeting however, intimated that Kangundo MP, Johnstone Muthama was uncomfortable with the party’s decision to stick with the G7 alliance.

Muthama attended on Monday’s meeting but left before its conclusion. It was not clear whether his party’s stand infuriated him.

But sources said the Government Joint Chief Whip disagreed with other NEC members on the way forward for the party. While he preferred that the party goes it alone and consolidate support nationally, others felt that the party was better off in the alliance.

But Nominated MP Mohammed Affey dismissed the reports saying Muthama left after they had concluded the matter and was dashing to attend another meeting. "When he arrived we briefed him on the issue and once the matter was concluded he left for another meeting," explained Affey.

Agriculture Assistant minister Gideon Ndambuki and Affey accompanied Musila during the briefing.

At the weekend rally in Nyandarua, which Kalonzo skipped, Ruto’s close ally and Dujis MP, Adan Duale, declared the alliance has got no time for Kalonzo.

Kalonzo fell out with the alliance after a Machakos rally where Muthama was said to have uttered statements that portrayed Kalonzo as an opportunist waiting to capitalise on the International Criminal Court cases against Uhuru and Ruto.

Musila said Muthama’s statement was misunderstood terming it ‘minor misunderstanding.’

"Muthama didn’t mean what was quoted in a section of the media," explained Musila.

Kalonzo has been at every meeting attended by Uhuru and Ruto, but was conspicuously absent at last week’s meeting at a Nairobi Hotel and a weekend rally in Nyandarua, indications that trouble was afoot.

Mr Muthama has since said the G7 group fears the VP is the man to beat in the race to State House and is now uncomfortable with him. He explained that Kalonzo has had to endure scorn from the group and that it was better he goes it alone at the polls. Musila said the meeting, that was also attended by Kalonzo, agreed that the VP attend political rallies together with the two but must ensure that such meetings are arranged and co-ordinated by a team formed specifically to organise them.

"The relationship between the VP, Ruto and Kenyatta should be continued and there is no reason for the party leader to pull out," Musila said.


MUTULA FATE

Last week a team was formed to co-ordinate the countrywide rallies for G7 and that Acting Finance Minister Robinson Githae heads it.

Muthama and Ndaragwa MP, Jeremiah Kioni, who is also PNU Deputy Chief Whip, had been responsible for the rallies but now a new team was picked to replace them.

Mr Kioni appears not to be in good books with the alliance after indicating that they were shopping for a compromise candidate should The Hague cases progress.

The party also said it has not recommended the sacking of Mutula who is WDM secretary general, saying this was the prerogative of the President.

"I don’t contemplate this party will do anything about this. It is not up to the party to decide. It is for the appointing authority," said Musila.