The untold story of Uhuru, Mudavadi recent meeting – Weekly Citizen

President Uhuru Kenyatta has launched an offensive to deny Deputy President William Ruto key political heavyweights the DP has been wooing to back him in 2022.

The President does not want to be caught off-guard by the Deputy President and that is why he has embarked on netting political heavyweights across the country to join his alliance with ODM leader Raila Odinga.

The first fish the head of state has in his radar is Amani National Congress party leader Musalia Mudavadi.

Mudavadi has been under pressure from Ruto’s allies in Western Kenya such as Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama and Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali to team up with the Deputy President in 2022.

Other leaders from Western piling pressure on Mudavadi to join Ruto include MPs Malulu Injendi (Malava), John Waluke (Sirisia), Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo), Raphael Wanjala (Budalang’i), Alfred Agoi (Sabatia), Titus Khamala (Lurambi), Christopher Aseka (Khwisero) and Justus Murunga (Matungu) together with former Kakamega County Senator Boni Khalwale and former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa.

But the President pulled a fast one on Ruto when he chose the ANC party leader to accompany him to Garissa to launch the new 50MW Garissa Solar Power plant that sits on 85 hectares of land.

Mudavadi, who has been critical of the political detente between Uhuru and Raila, held talks with the President on the possibility of him joining his 2022 team that has the ODM leader at the front.

They discussed how to use the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) to craft a political arrangement that will accommodate Mudavadi in the post-Uhuru government.

The move came as a surprise as Mudavadi, in his autobiography, Soaring Above The Storms of Passion, alleged that the ODM leader was forced into the handshake by European nations who threatened to ban his visa and therefore the handshake was not for the benefit of Kenyans.

The ANC leader had further claimed that Uhuru and his deputy tricked him out of the State House race in 2013. He claimed that the two turned back on their promise to back him for the presidency.

Muthama

But Mudavadi and Uhuru have history tracking back from 2002, when the ANC leader supported the head of state in his first stab at the top seat.

Uhuru lost overwhelmingly to retired President Mwai Kibaki with Mudavadi losing the Sabatia parliamentary seat to then little know teacher Moses Akaranga.

Also on Uhuru’s radar is Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka. Already, Kalonzo has dismissed as ‘speculations’ claims he is working on a political deal with the Deputy President ahead of the 2022 general election.

The seasoned politician also appeared to state, via a tweet, that his closing of ranks with the DP will anger the President.

“In the light of recent conversations and speculations about working with the DP, please note that these speculations are malicious. They are a desperate attempt to drive a wedge between me and H.E the President and have failed,” said Kalonzo.

He was reacting to remarks made by made former Machakos Senator, Johnson Muthama, who claimed the former Vice-President will team up with Ruto in 2022.

Muthama, a close ally of Musyoka, claimed the former Mwingi South MP had switched political alliance from Raila to Ruto and he (Muthama) was ready to spearhead coalition talks between the two leaders.

By wooing Mudavadi and Kalonzo, the president aims to scuttle any alliance between Kalenjins, Luyha and Kamba, which can tilt the political equation.

The three communities have over 7 million votes which would give Ruto a commanding lead were he to succeed in wooing the two leaders to join him.