An image grab shows Muluka during an interview on Jeff Koinage’s Capital Talk Show/K24
A statement from Odinga’s chief campaign manager Eliud Owalo said Muluka has opted out of the secretariat to pursue further studies.
“This is to let you know that Barrack has now relinquished the position of National Director of Communications at the secretariat, on a pre-negotiated understanding at the time of his engagement in February 2012,” read the statement released on Thursday.
Owalo said Muluka planned to undertake doctorate studies in politics and international relations at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom.
Owalo added they had agreed to allow Muluka pursue his studies, as well as other professional interests beginning next week.
“Barrack however remains a life member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party. We meanwhile wish him well on this fresh mission,” Owalo said.
In a statement sent on Wednesday evening to newsrooms Muluka said: “It has been a privilege to support the Prime Minister in his presidential campaign effort and I wish him well in what is left of the journey.”
The Odinga campaign team said it would retain Muluka as a special consultant and principal advisor to the secretariat on public communications and media relations.
There have been unconfirmed reports that Muluka will be replaced by another veteran Salim Lone who would double as Odinga’s spokesman and media director.
Muluka joined Odinga’s team in March as the premier set his election machinery in motion. Muluka is a publishing editor as well as a social and political commentator.
He is a regular opinion leader on the BBC, VOA and RFI, as well as local radio and TV in Kenya. He is a columnist with The Standard and has been published in local and international publications, including The Nairobi Law Monthly, the Dag Hammarskjold Foundation’s Development Dialogue and the Daily Nation.
He has published a variety of creative works – poems, short stories and children stories. Muluka is a graduate of the University of Nairobi, with a Bachelors degree in Linguistics, Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communications and Masters degree in Armed Conflict and Peace Studies.
He is a conflict and peace research consultant with UNDP Kenya and with the Institute for Security Studies (Kenya) as well as a media and communications advisor for the Kenya Institute of Management.
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