Probably, the most effective propaganda ploy to have been manufactured by ODM’s strategists ahead of the General election is what can be called the “Mudavadi Presidential bait”. This bait has been swallowed by both important institutions and individual players in Kenyan politics. Rival political parties, the punditocracy, the anti-ICC turn-coats in the Uhuru/Ruto camp, Kenya Diaspora and sections of the “Wanjiku community” are all regurgitating “the new threat” being posed to Raila Odinga’s presidential bid by Musalia Mudavadi, the ODM’s Deputy Party leader.
ODM’s leadership should be elated with the efficacy of this ingenious politrick because when it was mooted late last year, the objective was not to divert the attention of enemy forces or confuse the public but to counter poisonous enemy propaganda that had began to undermine Mudavadi’s political standing, authority and influence within ODM.
It is informative that just before Mudavadi was catapulted into getting Raila to “quake in his boots”, Mudavadi’s arch rivals in the Luhya camp notably Moses Wetangula, Cyrus Jirongo and Eugine Wamalwa, had teamed up with opportunists in the Ruto/Uhuru/Kalonzo camp to undermine Mudavadi’s authority in order to try and replace him as the “King of the Luhya” in Kenyan politics.
The narrative was that with his “sycophantic loyalty” to Raila Odinga, Mudavadi was playing second fiddle instead of asserting his authority and building a stronger image as a national leader. Mudavadi’s critics opined that the DPM ought to abandon his traditional strategy of waiting on the wings to succeed his boss and, instead, enter the Kibaki succession contest by giving Raila a run for his money.
To hammer their point home, Mudavadi’s critics portrayed him as a perpetual weakling who was under the armpit of Raila, arguing that the Luhya ought to look away from Mudavadi if the community wanted to navigate their way to State House because Mudavadi was contented with being a big fish in a small ODM pond.
During the failed, Moi-engineered Uhuru Project in 2002, Mudavadi was Uhuru’s running mate and he joined the statistics of those who never made it to Parliament. When he crawled to ODM from KANU to re-invent himself politically, the prevailing political equation saw Mudavadi settle as Raila’s running mate in 2007. Mudavadi’s waiting game paid off because when the Coalition government was cobbled by Kofi Annan following the stealing of Raila Odinga’s Presidency, he was awarded the DPM’s post by dint of having been Raila’s running mate. Now that Mudavadi had once again settled down as Raila’s running mate in the Kibaki succession race, his detractors in the Luhya camp have been busy portraying him as a perpetual underdog who did not carry the presidential aspirations of the Luhya people.
The situation was further complicated by Luhya leaders whom, one after another, continued to present themselves as alternative leaders ready to go for the presidency if Mudavadi had decided to sleep on the job.
The impact of this critique was that the authority of Mudavadi within ODM began to wane as his “second fiddle image” in relation to Raila also began to take root among supporters who were buying the prevailing propaganda. Although his position as Raila’s deputy has never been challenged, the political implication of constant propaganda churned by his detractors is that Luhyas ought to postpone State House ambitions because Mudavadi is sitting pretty as a potential Vice president in the anticipated government of Raila Odinga. It is against this background that Mudavadi’s presidential bait may have been mooted within ODM’s inner circle.
How did Mudavadi hit the campaign trail for ODM’s endorsement?
The scheme began in Sirisia on December 23rd last year at the Khachonge home of Patrick Wangamati, the Chairman of Luhya Council of Elders who is reported to have endorsed Mudavadi as the sole Presidential candidate from Luhya land.
This endorsement, which was witnessed by Foreign Affairs Minister, Moses Wetangula, Minister for Forestry, Noah Wekesa, Vihiga MP Yusuf Chanzu and Shinyulu MP Justus Kizito, was apparently illegal because according to Joseph Wasilwa, a member of the Luhya Council of Elders, the endorsement was done without the knowledge or blessing of the Council. Wasilwa accused Wangamati of endorsing Mudavadi as top Presidential contender without consultation with the elders, alleging that Wangamati was exploiting his position as the Council’s Chairman to gain political mileage. Wasilwa was concerned that while endorsing Mudavadi single handedly, Wangamati had sidelined other presidential candidates from Luhya land.
Unfortunately, Wasilwa’s cry of foul play failed to gain recognition because of the diverse configuration of participants who also witnessed the Mudavadi endorsement. Among those present were elders from 18 Luhya sub tribes including the Teso, Sabaot, Kony, Ndorobo and Morimo while Dr. Machanja Ligabo, Chairman of Western Elders Advisory council is said to have attended one of the planning meetings to discuss “Luhya unity”, a euphemism which has become associated with Mudavadi’s endorsement. At the December 23rd meeting, both Mudavadi and Wetangula asked Wangamati to convene a meeting of all 24 MPs from Western province before Parliament reopens “to discuss unity” among the Luhyas. The meeting was also addressed by former Cabinet minister Burundi Nabwera who is also Chairman of Luhya Elder’s Forum.
A curious observation is that hours before he joined Wangamati to witness Mudavadi’s endorsement on December 23rd last year, Wetangula met fellow Cabinet ministers, Anyang’ Nyongo and Lands Minister, James Orengo for more than an hour at the Imperial Hotel in Kisumu to discuss an ODM-Ford-Kenya election campaign pact. Specifically, the agenda was for Wetangula to drop his presidential bid and instead, support Raila’s bid in a newly found cooperation between ODM and Ford-Kenya. Once the deal was sealed, Wetangula relocated straight to Sirisia, on time for Mudavadi’s “coronation”. Mudavadi’s presidential bid is therefore a carefully worked-out strategy which can only worry the man in the streets.
Politically, the close proximity between Wangamati, Wetangula and Mudavadi is based more on immediate political advantages rather than agreement in Party policies. Wangamati is eying the post of governorship in Bungoma county and by using his position as Chairman of Luhya Council of Elders to give Mudavadi an advantage over his (Mudavadi’s) rivals through endorsements, Wangamati is hoping that Mudavadi will reciprocate by supporting him for his bid for Bungoma governor. On the other hand, Wetangula is a politician without an Alliance and by being present when Mudavadi was apparently being endorsed as the Luhya Kingpin, the Foreign Affairs minister was sending the message that Mudavadi also needed to scratch his back by strengthening the nascent ODM-Ford-Kenya pact. If it sees the light of day, this pact is likely to give Wetangula a new role to play because the pact remains the only route through which Ford-Kenya can be included in the next government. Once he got a kick from Wangamati, Mudavadi hit the road for “his quest for Presidency” and there was no better ground to set off the campaigns apart from his own Party, ODM. In a public meeting attended by both Raila Odinga and Mudavadi, the two promised to support whoever is nominated as flag bearer of the Party. The “Mudavadi presidential bait” had been set in motion and it is doing quite well.
By going for the top seat, Mudavadi has achieved three objectives. He has silenced critics who have been attacking him as a weak politician always being led by the nose by Raila Odinga; destroyed the perception that he is a coward who is always satisfied with playing second fiddle; boosted his image by exploiting the confusion created by his Presidential ambitions to emerge as “a man of his own”. The strategy has even confused enemy forces currently dangling the carrot of support if Mudavadi can join them as a “compromise candidate”. In the meantime, Mudavadi’s new profile as Raila Odinga’s biggest challenger within the Party can be sold to the public as a sign of a well entrenched practice of internal democracy in ODM which should be emulated by all parties.
Okoth Osewe
About the Author
This is a very good analysis ,well thought , well timely and done by a person who should be advising President in many African countries .
Here comes another Dr whom readers should listen and judge him hence He has been tested before formed a Political Party in Kenya (Sabina) was whipped seriously by Dictator Mois Security boys untill the whole world cried crocdile tears >Dr Leakey is damned righhttp://kenya.rcbowen.com/talk/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20581t on environment and on Dirty c riminals like Uhuru Ruto should never lead in Kenya>
Your analysis supported by facts is not in any way far fetched. Mudavadi has the potential to become president, but in a direct nomination by delegate system, he doesn’t stand a chance against Raila.
The county delegate system advocated but Mudavadi is to his advantage, but I am afraid there will be cases of infiltration by anti-ODM?Raila forces to the disadvantage of Raila.
Let the best man win the nomination.
ODM as the most Progressive Political Party has taken a very high strategy that beats all Political logics.Mudavadi going alone is a way of testing water otherwise how do you convince KKK a tribalist conglomeration of Political Nuts and opportunists being led by Wiper a party of wiping (Mavi) Uhuru and Ruto knows very well Kalonzo is going nowhere. Just look about the results in the Opinion polls Wiper is Politically Finito.
Ruto and Uhuru are Hague criminal cells who should be worried of how they will cope by spending days ,months and years in isolation. Mudavadi and Raila are playing game to scuttle the so called Wanjingas hence Mudavadi knows he cannot beat Raila and he cannot leave ODM.
ODM is the Party to beat even if elections are called tomorrow.ODM is going to form the next govt after Kibaki.If you dont agree get Wings and Fly!
Osewe this is a superb analysis which covers all possibilities in Mudavadi’s moves.
Kibaki & Kikuyu elites auctioned Kenya to Trans Century Group ! Luos must demand Regional System or Succession Today !
The Republic of Kenya has been auctioned to the Kikuyu elites. The scheme was hatched in the early days soon after Independence in 1963 by Kenyatta’s regime. The gist of the policy was that the Kikuyu cling on to power by whatever means necessary, crab land in Central, across the Coastline and the Rift Valley rendering the indigenous land owners as squatters in their own land, start corporations using public funds then loot them dry, replenish them still with public funds and continue the cycle.
The scheme was perfected with the Central Taxation system, which was designed by Kibaki as Finance Minister then. The system directed all the government tax remittances to the Central government pool controlled by the Kikuyu Elites. They made the decisions and continue to do so, where the tax resources are directed. The looting continues unabated.
Kibaki, the government looting master planner, and top Kikuyu looting strategist is now in power, with absolute power, thanks to Raila’s “Kibaki Tosha” slip. Kibaki, is the god father of Uhuru Kenyatta, who is the son of Jomo, the first president, and looter per excellence. It has been said that Kibaki gave or suggested to Mzee Kenyatta to name his son “Uhuru”.
Kibaki is the mentor of Prof George Kinuthia Muthengi Saitoti alias Prof George Kinuthia Kiarie, the son of Kiambu farmer, the late Mzee Kiarie, who died and was buried in Kiambu. Prof. Saitoti is a full blooded Kikuyu who faked his name (George Kinuthia Kiarie) to fraudulently win a scholarship as the son of a Massai in today’s Narok. He stole an education opportunity that rightfully belonged to a Massai son/daughter.
The Chief “Lootonomist”, the author of looting in Kenya, Mr. Kibaki , the Professor of “corrupmatics”, fraudster, Prof Kinuthia Kiarie, “alias Prof Saitoti”, and schemer and loot beneficiary, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, are together in business and in politics like day and night. Their updated scheme is, the next 25 years, president Kibaki, President Kinuthia Kiarie alias Saitoti, and President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The Kikuyus have positioned themselves strategically to own Kenya for ever. The ongoing worldwide network of “House of Mumbi”, GEMA, MEGA, the Central Province Development Groups in diaspora and home, and their new face, the Trans Century, just keeps looting and looting. The chief “lootonomist” directs the public funds to state corporations, which are controlled by the Kikuyu. The leaders of these corporations, who are Kikuyu, loot them, after which they are sold for a song to Trans Century Group, or sent to Nairobi Stock Exchange, to be sold to unsuspecting share buyers. Major share holders of Trans Century Group – – Mwai Kibaki, Kinuthia Kiarie, Uhuru Kenyatta
Prof Saitoti is set to take over NARK leadership to run for Presidential race, while Uhuru has been assured by the Trans Century Group of Kikuyu block votes and loots of money for buying of delegates to ensure ODMK nomination. Where did the yesterday political bankrupt Uhuru get the guts to demand direct nomination from a party he joined 2 weeks ago ? Where did he get this certain assurance?
Only Regionalism can bring some semblance of belonging to this Kikuyu over-looted Kenya. But it has to happen before the 2007 general elections.
Jadolo Okoth Otura,
LUOCOME-KANADA
yeas it nice to see hon M.M to show kenyan he has see what kenyan wants and it odm THE PM told as that if MM wine pm will be on is side cant give mm the chance to show that he can take number one this not GOR AND AFC THIS who is going to Reprecent Harambe star MM or Pm to put kenya on the map .And these who say mm can not make it you dont know him you can juste say he can not .but it AFC & GOR and we will peek who will be HARAMBE STAR MWANA WA MUDAMBA MUDAVADI GO FOR IT WHY NOT WE LOVE YOU KEMAORI CHAVA VALUYSHA GO GO GO TUKO NA WEWE HATA AGWAMBO NIWETU TU NA ONE OF YOU MUSAFARA UMEAZA REFFE AMEPINGA VIRIMBI—————————– ….——– HAPO NDIO ITAKUWA WISHO MAY GOD BE WITH YOU hon MM ´&PM.
THIS IS HOW KENYAN MINISTERS SHOULD BE TREATED >A NIGERIAN PRIMITIVE ANIMAL(MINISTER) WAS TREATED WITH CONTEMPT HE DESERVED>
RAILA ODM RULES TO COUNTER MUDAVADI .
Monday, 13 February 2012 13:00 BY HILTON OTENYO AND ALPHONCE GARI
PRIME Minister and ODM leader Raila Odinga has announced his party’s presidential nomination rules will soon be changed. The move is seen as an attempt to counter demands by ODM deputy leader Musalia Mudavadi that the nominations be held through a collegiate system at the county level and not the National Delegates Conference (NDC).
Addressing party delegates from Busia, Vihiga and Kakamega counties on Friday in Kakamega, Raila said a special committee is revising the nomination rules that will be presented to the NEC for adoption. “The party nominations will be free and fair. The nominations will be held according to the wishes of the majority,” said Raila adding he is ready to work with those elected by the people.
Though the PM did not disclose the likely changes in the rules, multiple sources close to him said the party National Elections Board will soon announce that presidential candidate nominations will be held in counties but through a popular vote and not delegates. “This is informed by the belief that the PM enjoys a lot of support across the country,” said one of the party officials close to Raila.
The debate on the mode of presidential candidate nominations has been raging for weeks. While Mudavadi insists the the party torchbearer be picked through an electoral college at the counties, those allied to the Prime Minister want the the candidate to picked by the NDC. The ODM chief whip Jakoyo Midiwo, Finance assistant minister Oburu Odinga, National Heritage minister William ole Ntimama and Public Service minister Dalmas Otieno have asked Mudavadi to slow down.
Jakoyo, Ntimama and Dalmas said Raila being the party leader should be the presidential candidate. Oburu asked Mudavadi to drop his demand for county elections. Mudavadi has dismissed reports that he plans to leave the party terming them “mere propaganda aimed at tarnishing my candidature”. He maintains competition within ODM is healthy. However, he has pledged to support Raila if he wins the party ticket.
During the Western meet-the-delegates tour over the weekend, Raila was accompanied by Cabinet ministers Wycliffe Oparanya (Planning), Otieno Kajwang’ (Immigration) and Paul Otuoma (Youth and Sports), assistant Ministers Manyala Keya (Gender) and Alfred Khang’ati (PM’s Office) MPs Fred Outa (Nyando), Evans Akula, David Were, Alfred Odhiambo, Nicholas Gumbo (Rarieda), and Ababu Namwamba (Budalangi) also attended.
Raila said that he and Mudavadi have accepted to stick to the party policies and there are no differences between the two. “We cannot pretend to be agents of democracy if the same is not first seen through our internal party mechanisms,” Raila said. The delegates asked the two to campaign together in public to prove there are no cracks in the party. After his Western tours, Raila landed in Coast region where he told the party supporters that they will be in power at the end of the coalition government.
Addressing delegates from Lamu, Kilifi and Tana River counties at Barani Secondary school in Malindi, Raila said Kenyans will begin enjoying the fruits of the new constitution next year if the ODM forms the government. He however asked President Kibaki not to endorse him for the presidency and leave it to the voters to decide.
Raila said Kibaki need not come out in public to announce “Raila Tosha” in the same way he (Raila) did for him in the 2002 election “as it would be coming from an individual and not the majority of Kenyans”. “Kibaki should not say Raila Tosha. I want Kenyans to accept me, not an Individual. Let him be silent and leave it for the people to decide,’’ Raila said.
The PM announced he will hold talks with Kibaki over the election date and make it public soon to clear the mystery on whether the election shall be held this year or in March next year. The delegates asked him to be shed light on the matter which had raised a major debate countrywide. “I shall have a meeting with President Kibaki to decide when the Parliament shall be dissolved and make it public soon,’’ he said.
Raila said Mudavadi’s presidential ambition is quite okay within the party. “The ODM believes in democracy, that’s why Mudavadi is also seeking the presidency, he has not stolen anything,” Raila said. He told other ODM leaders to stop fighting Mudavadi as they (Raila and Mudavadi) are “united with a good vision for development of the country”. “This year is the date for destiny and it’s upon the Kenyans to make critical decisions,” Raila said.
Today Raila will meet delegates from Kwale and Msambweni. At Malindi he was accompanied by Cabinet ministers Amason Kingi, Otieno Kajwang, and Lands Minister James Orengo. Others were assistant minister Magerer Langat, Malindi MP Gideon Mung’aro, Bahari MP Ben Gunda, Msambweni MP Omar Zonga, Likoni MP Masoud Mwahima and councillors from Tana, Kilifi, and Lamu. Kingi said the Coast is an ODM zone and that there would not have been a new constitution without Raila.
Ngilu endorses Mudavadi for President
Posted by BERNARD MOMANYI on February 19, 2012
NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 19 – Cabinet minister Charity Ngilu on Saturday threw her weight behind Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi’s presidential bid.
Adressing Kitui county Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) delegates, the Kitui Central MP urged the gathering to vote for Mudavadi to clinch the ODM presidential ticket.
“This is a refreshing moment for the party to see it talked about throughout the country,” said Ngilu who had earlier hosted Mudavadi to breakfast at her home. “I encourage ODM to go ahead with its democratic presidential nomination process and allow the delegates to decide on the presidential candidate, I assure you of my full support.”
Mudavadi’s presidential bid was also endorsed by 360 Kitui County delegates.
The delegates’ said Mudavadi was the party’s best hope to State House in the forthcoming general elections.
“That’s why we have nicknamed you ‘Makau’ as we are sure you will outrun other competitors just like the world marathon record holder,” said a delegate.
Mudavadi was accompanied by Assistant Ministers George Khaniri; Manyala Keya and MPs Justus Kizito and David Akula.
The delegates also demanded that ODM should conduct its presidential nomination at the county level to avoid coercion and manipulation.
“We support the proposal to do the nomination at the County level because we feel that will broaden participation, eliminate malpractices so that the outcome is acceptable to all”, said ODM Kitui county Secretary-general Christine Beth.
Mudavadi, who has launched a fierce campaign for the ODM presidential ticket, wants the primaries to be done at the county level as per the party’s push for devolution while Prime Minister Raila Odinga supports delegates being transported to Nairobi for a national congress.
The Deputy Premier, who is also the ODM deputy party leader said the decision to pick the party flag-bearer is the mandate of delegates and not ad hoc committees.
Mudavadi pledged to respect the decision of ODM delegates at the ballot.
On the need for county voting he said the current ODM constitution was designed under the old constitution and should be reviewed to align it to the new constitution, the Elections Act and the Political Parties Act.
“As a party of change, we should not take refuge in old habits but we should embrace change fully,” he said
He added the new constitution has guaranteed citizen participation in every decision making that affect their lives in one way or another and ODM party must allow democracy to grow.
“The new constitution has guaranteed participation in decision-making and in ODM the citizens are the elected delegates who must be given the opportunity to pick the party’s presidential nominee,” Mudavadi said.
Mudavadi is scheduled to meet 540 ODM delegates in Kiambu County on Monday.
Musalia ‘phantom’ challenge could scuttle Raila’s grand march forward
By MACHARIA GAITHO
Posted Monday, March 5 2012 at 20:01
From his days in high school, he acquired the nickname “Phantom”. He carried the moniker from Nairobi School, the former Prince of Wales popularly known as “Patch”, to the University of Nairobi in the early 1980s.
The name seemed appropriate for the squad member of the then formidable campus rugby team, Mean Machine.
And it seems it is not a name he has left behind, for Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi seems to have presented a phantom candidacy for the ODM presidential nomination that has some of Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s loyalists running helter-skelter.
Since he settled for the Prime Minister’s office in the power-sharing agreement struck after the disputed presidential election of 2007, it has been taken for granted that Mr Odinga would be the party’s candidate for the top job next time around.
It was expected that the deputy party leader would put in a token challenge before settling for running-mate, a position that would be in keeping with his mien as the ever-loyal Number Two.
However, the intensity of Mr Mudavadi’s challenge has made everyone sit up and take notice. The fact that he is going at it with uncharacteristic aggression and that he might just have what it takes to deny Mr Odinga what was taken for granted has set tongues wagging.
Mr Mudavadi has shattered the illusion that the ODM nomination was Mr Odinga’s for the asking. More prescient, however, is that his campaign seems to be premised on the assumption that Mr Odinga might try to steal the ticket.
The message from Mr Mudavadi is that if he is not satisfied that the nomination will be free and fair, then the party must be prepared to face the consequences.
The “consequences” are not defined yet, but that could be a strong signal that he is prepared to walk out if the nomination rules are not changed to meet his demand for a poll at the county level rather than the national delegates conference.
Perhaps this is what makes Mr Odinga’s acolytes, such as coalition Whip Jakoyo Midiwo and Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang’, react with so much hostility.
Yet the more they try to browbeat the Deputy Prime Minister into backing off or mouth statements suggesting that the party ticket belongs to Mr Odinga by divine right, the more they play into Mr Mudavadi’s hands.
Mr Mudavadi is projecting himself as a safe and reliable pair of hands, a unifier, a democrat, a candidate widely acceptable across the board who stands the best chance of securing victory for ODM at the first round.
By inference, Mr Odinga is all that Mr Mudavadi is not: an untrustworthy radical, divisive, too many enemies, a dictator, and so on.
The more interesting narrative in the whole contest is the accusation that Mr Mudavadi is a “project” of the Uhuru Kenyatta-William Ruto axis, and with the names of President Kibaki and his predecessor Daniel arap Moi thrown in for good measure.
As he seeks to capture the reform and change corner, Mr Odinga would obviously be keen to portray his foes as representing reactionary and conservative forces of the status quo.
Mr Mudavadi’s supporters have reacted strongly to the accusations, but that does not alter the fact that if Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto are pre-occupied with answering charges of crimes against humanity when the elections roll around, they have a large and floating support base that any candidate would be foolish not to court.
If the two are looking for surrogates, Mr Mudavadi might be a natural, given that they have no time for Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka — however much he pleads to be let into the party — and other alternatives such as Mr Eugene Wamalwa might be too hard to sell.
Having electrified his base, Mr Mudavadi might be in a position where he must clinch the ODM nomination or cry foul well in advance and march away.
Even if it has not been an exit strategy all along, it deeply wounds Mr Odinga, who has been progressively robbed of the key constituencies behind his powerful 2007 challenge.
His foes must be purring like contented kittens even as they prepare for a journey to The Hague.
UHURU, RUTO TO SUPPORT MUDAVADI .
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 23:55 BY STAR TEAM
DEPUTY Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto will back Musalia Mudavadi for the presidency if they cannot stand themselves, according to informed sources. And they have privately accepted that the charges they are facing at the International Criminal Court will prevent them from standing, even if they speak differently at their prayer rallies. Even if their trial at the ICC delays until after the election, the ethics rules of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission may bar them from running.
Uhuru and Ruto have now both separately decided that Mudavadi would be the best candidate for them to back against Prime Minister Raila Odinga who is still seen as the front runner in the election now scheduled for March 2013. “I can tell you for sure that Uhuru has no problem paying back the favour Mudavadi granted him by supporting him in 2002. We have discussed this with Uhuru quietly and we have decided that Mudavadi will get our support if he goes for the big seat. After all he enjoys a lot of good will amongst the Kikuyu and the rest of the country,” said an aide to Uhuru.
Three MPs who are very close to Ruto separately confirmed that there is a plan to back Mudavadi. “We are almost certain that Ruto and Uhuru may not be in the ballot. We have no other candidate other than Mudavadi and it will not matter which party he will be in,” said one MP. Just two weeks ago, Mudavadi dismissed claims that he was a project of President Kibaki, former President Moi or G7 members. He stated that he was a project of all Kenyans.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Government has been criss crossing the country meeting ODM delegates in his bid to challenge Raila for the party’s presidential ticket. Mudavadi wants the ODM candidate to be selected by county electoral colleges of ODM delegates whereas Raila favours a national delegates conference.
However Mudavadi’s bid ran into rocky ground following the discovery of a clause in the ODM constitution that guarantees the party leader the presidential ticket. A NEC meeting called two weeks ago to discuss the rules ended in a stalemate after Raila’s allies refused to remove the rule to allow Mudavadi to challenge the PM. Another NEC meeting scheduled for this week to review the issue has postponed to next week.
The Mudavadi camp believes he can beat Raila in a county by county nomination exercise with a secret ballot and presided over by the IEBC. Mudavadi’s supporters believe that a vote by acclamation at a National Delegates Conference can be manipulated. Mudavadi’s exploits have shaken Raila’s team and some are convinced that it is only a matter of time before Mudavadi ditches ODM for another party.
He is apparently considering joining Charity Ngilu’s NARC party which is being revived. Water minister Ngilu accompanied Mudavadi to meet ODM delegates in Kitui in February but did not accompany Raila when he met ODM delegates in Kitui a few days later. New Ford-Kenya officials are also considering giving Sabatia MP Mudavadi the presidential ticket instead of Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa to whom they had promised it. Party secretary-general Bonny Khalwale has openly said his party will back Mudavadi if he is on the presidential ballot.
The Mudavadi team is now considering setting up a presidential campaign secretariat after realising that the ODM delegates conference may not change the clause that makes the party leader the automatic presidential candidate. A team of professionals has been advising Mudavadi on his options if he is to remain relevant in Kenyan politics.
Yesterday, tensions escalated in the ODM between supporters of Raila and Mudavadi. Mudavadi’s team is now expressing anger after Raila met ODM officials in Kisii on Sunday for almost one hour to discuss party matters and the impending presidential nomination. The ODM officials arrived in Kisii in three Prados and were led by Vihiga County chairman Ken Butiko, an aspirant for the national chairmanship of Orange Young Democrats, Rashid Mohamed from Mumias and a Ben Ombina.
The 15 officials were asked to prepare delegates to travel to Nairobi when the NDC is called. “Raila made it clear to them that the ODM is not going to change any clause in the constitution and that the nomination will be done by the NDC,” a Mudavadi ally claimed. On Monday in Muranga, assistant minister Margaret Wanjiru, a Raila ally, repeated that ODM’s constitution will not be amended. “The act of secretly meeting the officials particularly the chairman of Mudavadi’s home county of Vihiga can only be taken to be a provocation to Mudavadi to quit,” ODM National Elections Board member Charles Werangai said.
The Star reported yesterday that Raila’s adviser Adhu Awiti has been pressurising delegates through his PA William Okoth. However Okoth refuted the claims saying the reports were meant to typecast Raila as intolerant. “I do not have any access to any party documents. I work for the PM’s office and no access whatsoever to the party registers. This malicious story is aimed at portraying as one who fears competition. The PM has always welcomed competition and that’s why he has allowed the DPM to challenge him,” Okoth said in a statement.