Mudavadi: A phantom both in, off the pitch

By Oscar Obonyo

To his rugby friends and fellow players, he was ‘Phantom’ because of his speed and skill on the pitch. Until recently his evensong has been that the soccer match (presidential elections) should be killed off within the normal 90 minutes. But this is unlikely to be the wish of Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, who now hopes to stretch the game to “extra time”.

Owing to falling out with Prime Minister Raila Odinga and later DPM Uhuru Kenyatta, whom he briefly teamed up with in Jubilee Alliance, Mudavadi now finds himself outside the main competing coalitions.

His supporters openly confess the Sabatia MP is now cobbling up “a third-force”.  

And depending on how strong the third force becomes, the United Democratic leader may just force a run-off in the presidential race by denying the main competing camps outright majority wins. This is why Mudavadi’s camp is now keen on stretching the game to “extra time”.

Other parties

If that happens, the DPM will get another chance to renegotiate a share in the next government by throwing his support to either of the leading alliances. But it may all be gloom for Mudavadi if either of the camps kills off the contest in first round.

To win the presidency or force a run-off, the self-styled Messi (Argentinean Barcelona FC soccer star), must put together a formidable team. And he has to prove a point to rivals – that indeed they erred by relegating a world soccer superstar from their midst before kick-off. 

Indeed this is a major hurdle for the DPM, who despite his political experience spanning a quarter century, is yet to lead a political party. At United Democratic Forum (UDF), Mudavadi is finally at the helm and observers will be watching how he steers the outfit in the March 4 elections.

Overall, Mudavadi continues to confound his rivals with his strong showing as a compromise and ‘acceptable’ candidate. With clear goodwill from the people, as demonstrated in various opinion polls, the UDF leader should make concrete political strides.

While he has not led the pack of presidential aspirants in the polls, the last poll by Infotrak Harris last month indicates Mudavadi is the next best thing for most voters if their preferred presidential candidate is not on the ballot.

Most supporters of Uhuru, Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa, Assistant minister Peter Kenneth and Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua say they would throw their support behind Mudavadi. Even backers of the Prime Minister, who he deserted recently, would vote for the Sabatia MP if the ODM leader were not in the race.

Indeed, Mudavadi is probably the only presidential contender, who can traverse the country freely without fear of running into hostile crowds. During his campaigns, he has attracted crowds all over and good strategy should see him eat into his rivals’ numbers.

Mudavadi’s humility and neutrality is something that he has grown up with, right from his school days. In an earlier interview with this writer, the DPM’s mother, Hannah, told of his youthful son who always played the neutral role of a peacemaker among squabbling siblings.

Curiously, he was named ‘Musalia’ – the contracted version of the Maragoli word ‘musalizi’, which means a peacemaker. Besides his family members, Musalia has also been giving meaning to his name in politics. It is because of this honest and gentlemanly mien that some political foes and friends have exploited, perhaps including the latest agreement saga within Jubilee.

Even in 2007 at the peak of heated political temperatures within the original ODM-Kenya, for instance, Mudavadi stood out as the face of unity and peace. He increasingly emerged as the possible compromise presidential candidate, following hostilities Raila and Kalonzo.

Mudavadi was born in September 1960 in Baringo District to Hannah and his late father Moses Budamba Mudavadi, who was a local education officer. He was the only son among six daughters, although he also has half-brothers and sisters, from Mama Hannah’s co-wife, Rosebella Jerono Mudavadi, a Tugen.

He enrolled in Kileleshwa Nursery School, through Nairobi Primary School, Nairobi School, to the University of Nairobi from where he graduated with a degree in Land Economics in 1984.

His first job was at Tysons Limited as a real estate agent, but joined politics in 1989 aged just 29. He was elected unopposed to take the Sabatia constituency seat vacated by his deceased father, then an influential Cabinet minister.

Mudavadi became a Cabinet minister after the election and rose to the position of Vice-President in 2002. He lost his parliamentary seat and position of VP in that year’s poll, a development that momentarily consigned him into political oblivion.

Since his return to elective politics in 2007, Mudavadi has been more versatile. 

With his wife Tessie, to whom he was married in 1990, they have three children – Moses, Michael, and Maryanne.