By Philip Muasya and Paul Mutua??
Former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka is seemingly walking a tight rope regarding his bid to come back to Parliament and lead the Official Opposition.
The move by Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) to convince some of the elected MPs to step down for Kalonzo seems to have come a cropper since all the MPs seen as likely to be approached to step down have refused to cede ground.??
Three elected MPs, John Munuve (Mwingi North), Joe Mutambu (Mwingi Central), Francis Mwangangi (Yatta) and Nominated Wiper MP Robert Mutemi had been touted as possible candidates to give way for Kalonzo.
Mwangangi has been mentioned because Kalonzo has a second home at Kithimani in Yatta. Munuve, who succeeded Kalonzo as the Mwingi North MP on a Wiper party ticket has come out fighting after reports started doing rounds that he had been approached to give up his seat for the former VP.??
The legislator who tried thrice to unseat Kalonzo said he would not entertain the thought of being the one to pave way for Kalonzo to come back to Parliament, saying he had a five-year contract with his constituents, which is not transferable.
About-turn
“If there are other ways to pave way for Kalonzo to go back to Parliament then I fully support them but stepping down for him does not arise. It will be a great injustice to force my people to go back to the polls on selfish grounds,” Munuve says. Mutambu, a close ally of Kalonzo who had earlier indicated he could sacrifice his seat for Kalonzo, made an about-turn a week ago when he was reportedly asked by CORD leadership at a Naivasha retreat to step down for Kalonzo.??
“It is not possible. I cannot step down for anybody because that would amount to betrayal to my constituents. Such reports are really hurting my people and they should cease,” Mutambu said.
Mutemi, the nominated MP, has also fought against plans to have his name removed from the nomination list to be replaced with that of Kalonzo, arguing that his nomination is meant to cater for the interests of people with disabilities in his constituency.??
“Anybody thinking of dislodging me for political reasons would be infringing the rights of the people living with disabilities. It is something I will resist,” the MP said.??Mwingi Business Community and Professionals Forum have weighed in on the matter, saying that either Munuve or Mutambu should step down for Kalonzo, noting that the two MPs’ win is credited to the former VP. “Every person in Mwingi knows Munuve could not have won without the backing of Kalonzo who put up spirited campaigns to sell his candidature. It is only fair that the MP stops thumping his chest and consider those facts. Nobody will force him to resign but his conscience should tell him to do so,” said Campbell Mwendwa, the Organising Secretary of the forum.??
Strategy meeting
Meeting at a Mwingi hotel on Wednesday, the forum members said it was not fair for Mwingi Central MP Mutambu to stab Kalonzo in the back even after benefiting from his close association with the former VP.
They said being a close ally of the former VP, Mutambu does not need to be cajoled to do what is politically right.?
“Mutambu has benefited a lot from his association with Kalonzo over the years so it is spiteful when he dismisses the former VP the way he did. Everybody expected Mutambu to pave way for Kalonzo,” Mwendwa added.??
The forum members said Kalonzo’s political prospects were brighter, adding that his political future would be determined by how he plays his cards. They said despite having lost in the last elections, Kalonzo is the only leader from Eastern who can unite the Kamba community. “If an MP stepped down for Kalonzo, he will not have lost but rather it would be a win-win situation for all the Kamba people,” they said in a statement. ??
The Jubilee Alliance has, however, indicated that they would field a candidate and vigorously campaign for him to floor Kalonzo should such an opportunity present itself.
Residents say if Kalonzo lost in such a by-election, then his stature in the national arena and in Kambaland would be irredeemably dented.?However, some elected Wiper party county representatives who spoke to The Standard on Sunday in confidence for fear of reprisals said that Kalonzo is demeaning his status by trying to get back to Parliament, noting that he should rebuild himself outside the House in preparation for the next elections.??
“If former Prime Minister Raila Odinga is staying out, then Kalonzo can also stay out. The idea of having an elected member step down for him is selfish at worst,” said a county assembly member.?
Mwangangi scoffed at the idea of a legislator giving way for Kalonzo, terming it as a ridiculous proposal by self-seekers. He said the idea of having Kalonzo back to Parliament through the ‘back door’ is tailored to humiliate the former VP.
“It is regrettable that some selfish leaders can hatch a plot meant to belittle the former VP. I wonder what purpose the move would serve. It is an idea I would never spend a minute entertaining,” Mwangangi said.??
But Kitui Senator David Musila, who is also the chairman of the Wiper Party Democratic movement said Kalonzo has not been consulted on whether he wants to come back to Parliament.??
Speaking in Kitui during the first county assembly sitting on Thursday, Musila said the proposal was from CORD leadership but not from Kalonzo himself.?
“It is the CORD alliance which is proposing that Kalonzo goes back to Parliament and lead the Opposition. So far, we are yet to seek his opinion on the matter,” Musila said.
Let it not be seen as if Kalonzo is desperate to go back to Parliament,” he added.?
Musila said should the former Vice-President reject the offer, then the alliance will confirm the Kitui West MP Francis Nyenze as the leader of Opposition in Parliament.??
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