Musalia, Wamalwa battle shapes up

By Stephen Makabila

A shift in political strategy by Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi to consolidate the Western Province vote has sparked what could be a bruising duel with regional rival, Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa.

A Wamalwa associate told The Standard the presidential contest has entered the ‘propaganda stage’, which a key member of G7 has adopted to undercut allies.

Unlike before when Wamalwa was viewed as the G7 point man in Western, his allies in the alliance have directly been engaging Mudavadi in private talks.  Mudavadi has also talked of his desire to work with them.

Over the last one week, political scheming have heightened as Mudavadi   seeks to rally his home bloc behind him, to strengthen his national bargain, and position himself as a potential Kibaki successor in the March 4 General Election.

The Sabatia MP, who is believed to be behind Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli’s Luhya unity talks, seem to have realised playing national without a strong home base could be counter-productive.  And his latest antics have rattled Wamalwa, who has been competing Mudavadi in national networking around the loose G7 Alliance.

The shaky G7 coalition has Deputy Prime Minister, Uhuru Kenyatta, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, and Eldoret North MP, William Ruto.

Mudavadi is not a member, but he has been reaching out to Uhuru, Ruto, and Kalonzo, making Wamalwa edgy.

Mudavadi has held five crucial meetings with Uhuru and William Ruto on alliance buildings.  During these meetings, the ICC issue and prospects of a round-one victory featured.

Their main concern is how best their interests would be addressed in case they do not run for president.

The last meeting with Uhuru was held on Mashujaa Day at the latter’s office in Lavington from 5.30pm to 7pm.  Mudavadi also held a two-hour meeting with Ruto at his house in Riverside on Wednesday, from 5pm to 7pm.

This was a follow-up to two other meetings at Ruto’s party offices, and Musalia’s house two weeks ago.

In the meetings, two options were tabled:

Option one: That the two, Uhuru and Ruto would pursue their political ambitions and run on a joint ticket.  But the second option ropes in Mudavadi, as a compromise candidate in the event they are blocked.

In this regard, they agreed to bring an amendment in Parliament to push the December 4 deadline for pre-election coalition pacts to January.

The two have also encouraged Mudavadi to go directly to the people in the Rift Valley and Central to market himself.

Sources indicate if Mudavadi and Water Minister Charity Ngilu bought the deal Wamalwa has rejected, then the Sabatia MP would become Majority Party Leader and Ngilu his deputy. Mudavadi has always maintained he would be on the presidential ballot.

The emerging question, however, is how the contest between Mudavadi and Wamalwa will affect national politics and the Kibaki succession ahead of the elections.

Heavily strained

And even as they battle it out for the Western region, ODM under the leadership of Prime Minister Raila Odinga has equally been seeking to retain its 2007 regional support.

Raila has a strong hold on Busia County and has been seeking a working formula with Ford-Kenya.

Ikolomani MP, Bonny Khalwale, who accompanied Mudavadi during campaign rallies in Western this week, noted the DPM should consolidate his home support.

Another Mudavadi ally, Vihiga MP Yusuf Chanzu, argues those who brand Mudavadi as a tribal leader for campaigning in Western were wrong.

“How can Mudavadi attract support from other regions when in his home turf people are not with him,” asked Chanzu. 

Wamalwa, who is the New Ford- Kenya presidential aspirant, skipped Atwoli’s first unity talks in the Mara.  He later dismissed the initiative as an attempt to endorse a Mudavadi presidential bid.

Apart from Mudavadi, Lugari MP, Cyrus Jirongo, and Ford-Kenya leader, Trade Minister Moses Wetangula, also attended the Masai Mara meeting.   A follow-up meeting was held in Nairobi over a week ago.

Mudavadi has cautioned leaders who undermine the unity talks among Western presidential aspirants will face the voters’ wrath.

But Wamalwa argues he was not against Western unity, but rejected crude tactics aimed at endorsing one presidential aspirant.

“Everyone want unity, but any unity initiative has to be genuine and brokered by an impartial referee. What we are seeing is an act of isolation,” added Wamalwa.

Relations between Mudavadi and Wamalwa was heavily strained   after the Saboti MP’s political ally, nominated MP Musikari Kombo was heckled in Kimilili last Saturday during the burial of the father to Mudavadi’s national advisor, former minister Mukhisa Kituyi.

Kombo had downplayed the unity talks, noting he was supporting Wamalwa’s presidential bid.

During the Tuesday meeting between Wamalwa and close associates in a city hotel, former Bungoma Mayor Barasa Mbinga told him to stop handling Mudavadi with baby-gloves.

“Why should you attend unity talks when Mudavadi wants to displace you in the G7 Alliance? You should not be soft with those out to clip your wings,” added Mbinga.