NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 21 – Wiper Democratic Movement Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his Amani National Congress (ANC) counterpart Musalia Mudavadi have hit back at former Prime Minister Raila Odinga over claims that they are waiting for his endorsement to vie for the presidency in next year’s General Election.
In hard-hitting statement issued separately, the two said Odinga was not sincere because they had supported him in previous elections.
“The statement by Raila Odinga that he’ll not endorse any of his NASA colleagues because they failed to show up at his illegal swearing-in is unfortunate and reeks of indefensible deceit,” Mudavadi said in a statement by his Spokesman Kibisu Kabatesi.
Mudavadi said that “Raila is free to endorse whosoever he wishes including the possibility of excluding himself. But he has no right to deny others their right to demand a political debt owed from him.”
The Orange Democratic Movement has dismissed an alleged 2022 pact between its party leader and Kalonzo and reiterated the party’s stance that the Wiper Party leader alongside Mudavadi and Wetangula led to NASA’s collapse after they skipped the mock swearing-in ceremony of the coalition’s presidential candidate after losing to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Speaking at a separate event in Machakos County, Kalonzo said he is only seeking the endorsement of God adding that he does not believe in any of the political debts.
“I only seek the endorsement of our heavenly father, who is the same today and forever”, he said.
The former Vice President claims he advised Raila to engage in dialogue with President Kenyatta instead of embarking in the mock swearing-in on January 2018.
“I did what I did to make this country better, it did not happen. Goodness be I am a Senior Counsel and that is the highest rank that an advocate aspires,” he said, “How would I have participated in an illegal, unconstitutional oath, how? I would have disqualified myself because lawyers swear to uphold constitutionality.”
Kalonzo and Mudavadi opened up for the first time about events leading to the mock swearing-in which they skipped claiming Odinga “lied” about his whereabouts on the morning of January 30 only to appear at Uhuru Park alone to take the oath.
The duo recounted the shock and anxiety that gripped the opposition camp as they watched Raila’s entrance into Uhuru Park where he proceeded to take the mock oath as the ‘People’s President of Kenya’.
They have threatened to expose him for being the ‘political con’.
“Kenyans should ask themselves what a man incapable of keeping a vow with friends is capable of if he wields absolute power… but reminded he’ll be until he forgoes deceit. Politics of deceit don’t befit a Kenyan leader,” Mudavadi’s Spokesman stated.
Kalonzo and Mudavadi are now angling for a new coalition with KANU’s Gideon Moi and Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetangula in the race to succeed President Kenyatta whose second and final term ends next year.
Others in the race are Deputy President William Ruto, former UNCTAD Secretary General Mukhisa Kituyi and Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana.
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