KALONZO ALREADY BETRAYED AT ONE KENYA ALLIANCE

Disquiet has rocked the newly formed One Kenya alliance over the pairing of its 2022 presidential line-up with reports that Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s camp is jittery.

Barely a month after the alliance was formally unveiled, there are reports that a push to settle on a specific preferred line-up has triggered unease that could jolt its 2022 plans.

The quartet of Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Gideon Moi (Kanu), Moses Wetang’ula of Ford Kenya and Kalonzo had promised the country a political earthquake ahead of next year’s elections.

There are claims that some influential forces are keen on pushing a Musalia-Gideon presidential ticket.

This would relegate Kalonzo and Wetang’ula from the nerve centre of power.

The power balance would leave Kalonzo with the possibility of becoming prime minister if the Building Bridges Initiative referendum — which proposes an expanded Executive — sails through.

This would also force him to seek a parliamentary seat. 

However, some of Kalonzo’s allies argue that with the uncertainty surrounding the BBI referendum and the lack of guaranteed approval, the process to settle on the ticket should be halted until after the public vote.

On Tuesday an MP allied to the Wiper boss told the Star that their camp was concerned about a scheme by ‘outside forces’ to prematurely impose a 2022 presidential pairing that excludes Kalonzo.

“The issue is yet to be formally deliberated on by the technical committee working on the alliance but there are strong winds blowing in favour of the Musalia-Gideon presidential ticket,” the lawmaker said on condition of anonymity.

“We will not accept, we better use a scientific method to arrive at the One Kenya alliance presidential flag-bearer and his running mate without being directed from somewhere,” the MP protested.

There have been claims that some of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s power brokers prefer a Musalia-Gideon ticket to take over when he retires in 2022

Kitui Senator Enock Wambua insisted that the One Kenya alliance is intact and that Kalonzo was comfortable among his co-principals.

“Nobody has started this conversation, leave alone the pairing of the 2022 ticket. Those suggesting otherwise are our enemies who fear that if this alliance stands, it will sweep the country,” Wambua, a close Kalonzo ally, stated.

“The alliance is strong and the leaders are consulting all the time. Wiper is going nowhere. We will stand united in the alliance to the end.” 

The senator said the alliance is in its formative stages and had yet to explore conversations about how to approach the 2022 General Election.

When reached for comment, Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa who sits in the technical committee working on the alliance said the “player at the most strategic position will be given the ball to score.”

“In the One Kenya alliance and as a member of the technical committee, the principals are first among equals but the one at the most strategic position will have the ball passed to him to score,” Wamalwa said.

The MP said the alliance will reveal its line-up at the appropriate time to avoid exposing their candidate too early to the opponent’s artillery.

“Having worked in the Cord technical committee, I can tell you that this is not the right time to make public our 2022 line-up,” he said

The machinations to allegedly sidestep Kalonzo in the alliance’s 2022 presidential pairing might complicate their chances of successfully come up against their main opponents.

Kalonzo, who served as vice president during retired President Mwai Kibaki’s final term between 2007 and 2013 ran for president in the 2007 elections.

He came a distant third after Kibaki and ODM’s Raila Odinga.

In the subsequent general elections in 2013 and 2017, he was Raila’s running mate.

On the other hand, Musalia ran for president in 2013 after running as Raila’s deputy in the 2007 presidential election.

Both have declared their interest to run for president in 2022, raising stakes in the battle for the One Kenya alliance ticket.

Political analysts say the 2022 race would be a three-horse race likely to feature Raila, Deputy President William Ruto and the candidate to be fronted by the One Kenya alliance.

Professor Macharia Munene, a university don, says One Kenya alliance is walking a politically tight rope to identify its flagbearer who will take on Raila and Ruto.

“The challenge they have is coming up with their leader who will symbolise the king. The leader will then most likely be the presidential candidate,” said History and International Relations professor at USIU.

He, however, said Gideon would not mind playing second fiddle.

Nevertheless, it will not be easy for Musalia and Kalonzo to agree on the Presidential flag-bearer, he observed.

“Gideon is still in the political class trying to learn politics and may not have a problem being someone’s deputy as he marks time. He may not need much attention at the moment,” Munene said.

The 12-member technical committe working on the modalities of formalising the One Kenya alliance has been holding boardroom meetings to draw the 2022 roadmap as well as fine-tune instruments.

The team comprises three members representing each of the four affiliates.

By The Star