Trouble is brewing in the Kenya Kwanza alliance after Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi camp warned United Democratic Alliance side and presidential flag bearer William Ruto that they risk losing the presidential race if they do not change tactics.
According to reliable sources, Mudavadi camp is feeling isolated just like other parties associated with Kenya Kwanza Alliance as UDA of Ruto plays big-boy political syndrome bullying other outfits as if they have no value but only hanging on UDA for political survival.
DP Ruto with Muthama in a past event
Mudavadi’s concerns come after it emerged that UDA chairman Johnson Muthama has threatened to resign and has openly stopped attending Ruto public rallies despite being top ranking official. Muthama has decided to concentrate on Machakos governorship race and in private claims the Johnie-come-late lies have messed the once clear Ruto road to State House.
Muthama’s position in Ruto nationwide campaigns have been taken over by Alfred Mutua, the Machakos governor who does not get on well with Muthama. Ruto efforts to reunite the two Kamba politicians have failed.
Weekly Citizen has information, Muthama wanted to resign at the same time with another party official Kipruto Kirwa who defected to Azimio but Ruto begged him not to. Of late keen observers will have noticed, Muthama rarely defends UDA as he has been isolated. Instead, it is national speaker Justin Muturi who has taken over Muthama mantle in Ruto public rallies across the country.
Kipruto Arap Kirwa
Weekly Citizen has information, Kenya Kwanza support parties have not seconded personnel to Ruto official campaign secretariat and they are in darkness of what is happening.Instead, the Hustler Secretariat is being controlled by UDA officials and not much is known of what is happening. Ruto campaign is in disarray to an extent, even so-called Kenya Kwanza principals are only briefed at last minute or at times caught offguard where Ruto will be.
To complicate matters further are claims that UDA has established a parallel tallying centre at Soin Arcade Westands owned by the family of the late Wilson Ngeny, a one time MP and Moi era powerful Kenya Posta and Telecommunications MD. Kenya Kwanza parties were kept in darkness also.
According to our source, Ruto relies more on his UDA foot soldiers on ground than leaders of parties backing his presidency thus further complicating matters.
Case studies being given include Ruto tour in Kilifi county which was organised by Malindi MP and governor aspirant on UDA ticket Aisha Jumwa. Governor Amason Kingi whose party Pamoja African Alliance was kept in the dark and did not attend the events. In Vihiga county the home turf of Mudavadi where the DP was openly seen rebuking an unruly young man, it is said, UDA aspirants took centrestage sidelining those of ANC. Suprisingly, Mudavadi was not present. Infact, Mudavadi missing in action during Ruto recent visit in Bungoma, Kakamega and Vihiga has left many political analysts questioning.
Aisha jumwa
A source within Mudavadi camp based at MM Centre Riverside Nairobi told us, all is not well as the party leader feels betrayed moreso after Ruto picked Turkana governor Joesph Nanok as head of his campaign secretariat. Nanok known for his militant style prefers dealing with only UDA faces.
Many had expected Ruto to pick a seasoned personality with national appeal and one from outside Rift Valley as his head of secretariat. Infact. Mudavadi camp was fronting Kwale governor Salim Mvurya for the position as part of Kenya Kwanza strategy to penetrate fluid coast region politics.
That Ruto camp has no time for other parties behind him is seen from UDA top brass’ call for six- piece voting pattern in Mount Kenya region relegating Moses Kuria part Chama Cha Kazi and Mwangi Kiunjuri of TSP to the periphery. Back to Mudavadi case, it is emerging just like Kingi skipped Kilifi rallies, Mudavadi decided to do so by claiming to be flying out of the country.
Many are questioning why Mudavadi could decide to do so at such critical time when the presidential campaigns have reached home stretch. But an insider within ANC told your favourite Weekly Citizen that Mudavadi is reading political mischief in Kenya Kwanza just like Kingi and Kuria. Before Ruto’s recent visit to Western, Mudavadi was in Kakamega county to campaign for his ANC aspirants among them Senator Cleophas Malala now eyeing governorship on ANC. What annoyed Mudavadi was the fact that Bonnie Khalwale running for senate on UDA ticket and a number DP party candidates skipped his function.
Ruto and Khalwale in a past function.
Then before the ink could dry, Ruto was back in the region with Khalwale and Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula as if he Mudavadi cannot deliver Western vote block and is doing zero work on ground.
Our source further revealed, whereas Ruto and his handlers are playing politics with recent opinion polls dismissing them, many of his sympathizers in Kenya Kwanza have a different opinion. To them, the possibility of being defeated by their rivals, Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga is slowly dawning on them.
Weekly Citizen has information, Kenya Kwanza affiliates are unhappy that Ruto word is taken final and any dissenting voice disdained at a move that is becoming costly. For example in Mount Kenya region, running mate Rigathi Gachagua and Senator Kindiki Kithure are his point men. What Ruto fails to acknowledge is that the two have political enemies in respective areas whom they cannot work with.
Sources within Kenya Kwanza revealed, before former Kiambu governor William Kabongo bolted out of Kenya Kwanza due to open bias by UDA, he tried to reach Mudavadi and Wetangula to prevail upon Ruto to call a meeting with various leaders allied to him in futility.
We have information, Kenya Kwanza party leaders have not held meetings for a long time to brainstorm and counter happenings on ground moreso after Martha Karua was picked Raila runningmate. Infact, operations of UDA in Kenya Kwanza are secretive to an extent it is not known if Ruto wanted to bring Mudavadi and Wetangula close, use them to field UDA candidates in their perceived strongholds, win and control the senate and parliament even if he loses.
At one time a bitter Mudavadi complained in public that his ANC aspirant in Sabatia is likely to be defeated by UDA’s Clement Shiloya. It is also emerging that Ruto is sponsoring former governor Moses Akaranga of Federal Party of Kenya in Vihiga against his ANC face MP Alfred Agoi.
To fool Mudadadi, Ruto who had picked Beatrice Adangala, Vihiga woman rep on his national campaign team, had UDA woman rep candidate Jackline Mwenesi step down for Adagala but left other aspirants in the race. For now, Mwenesi nomination to parliament has hit brickwall since she stepped down when UDA had forwarded her name in the race and is likely to appear on ballot paper. If she is nominated, it is likely to face legal challenge.
Mudavadi is said to have had reservations over the choice of Rigathi as running mate.
Indeed, keen observers of the Kenya Kwanza campaigns will have noticed that of late Mudavadi is giving Ruto’s campaigns a wide berth, preferring to popularize his ANC party’s candidates’ bid.
The last time Mudavadi attended campaigns together with Ruto was during the launch of the Kenya Kwanza manifesto at Kasarani Stadium.
Since then, the ANC leader has been leading his troops in separate campaigns to back his candidates.
For instance, Mudavadi was missing when Ruto on Friday last week met European Union Election Observer Mission that was led by Ivan Stefanec at Ruto’s Karen residence.
He was also no show in Ruto’s recent campaigns in Kiambu county, Nyamira, Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, Turkana, Marsabit and Meru counties.
While Ruto was in Western at one time, Mudavadi opted to take the Kenya Kwanza campaigns to Kajiado county where he met the grandmother of ANC party official Allan Mula, Mary as she milked her cows.
Together with Kajiado governor candidate Katoo Ole Katito, Mudavadi met the Mulembe community living in Kajiado where they agreed to ensure Kenya Kwanza carries the day.
Insiders further revealed that Mudavadi camp has told Ruto the selection of Gachagua as running mate was a big mistake that would cost the coalition votes in the polls.
Gachagua
It is to be recalled that before Gachagua was picked, Mudavadi had engaged in a war of words with Gachagua after the latter remarked that the ANC leader would not be picked Ruto’s running mate.
In a statement, Mudavadi, through his party secretary-general Simon Gikuru said Gachagua had no powers to speak for their Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
“Gachagua has no authority to speak for Kenya Kwanza on the matter hence his sentiments are premature, untimely and unwarranted,” he said.
Insiders added that Mudavadi was also unhappy after Ruto failed to give him campaign resources.
There are reports Ruto has told candidates and coalition partners not to call him seeking campaign funds.
Before Mudavadi and Wetang’ula joined Ruto, he had reportedly told them that he had set aside Sh25 billion for presidential campaign final touches and each would get about Sh1 billion to campaign.
But with only days to the polls, Ruto has not funded them to conduct campaigns and this has left them worried.
There are reports the Sh25 billion Ruto was boasting having for the final campaigns could have been the sum seized by the government on suspicion of money laundering.
Oscar Sudi and Didmus Barasa
Mudavadi’s fear of poll loss was also echoed by two Kenya Kwanza legislators – Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and his Kimilili counterpart Didmus Barasa – when they claimed there is scheme orchestrated by what they termed a deep state to use ICT experts to tamper with the result transmission on election day.
The duo, who took to their social media pages to make the alarming assertions claimed ICT cabinet secretary Joe Mucheru was behind the order which includes interference in the internet exchange to manipulate the results.
“We are aware they are working on an elaborate rigging scheme currently being deployed by various ICT experts under instructions of CS Mucheru. The plan involves the interference of the internet exchange on election day and use of various data centres to manipulate election results,” Sudi claimed.
Insiders added that Mudavadi also fears that Ruto’s unfulfilled promises are working against the coalition.
In the past, Ruto has promised schools across the country buses besides church donations, with some yet to come.
But the sexist remarks Ruto made about Eugene Wamalwa was initially expected to die a natural death but on the contrary continues to explode with pouring condemnation across the country.
It appears that the DP’s political opponents are fully out to exploit the guff with revelations that a series of demonstrations led by women in the Luhya land is in the offing as part of solidarity with Wamalwa who Ruto described as a woman.
A bitter Ruto last week fired back at Wamalwa who had accused him of almost slapping him citing that, ‘in our community, we do not slap women, we respect them’’.
Eugene Wamalwa
The remarks triggered instant condemnation across the country and even saw Luyha leaders coming in a rare solidarity to defend their son.
Professionals, elders, women, politicians, political analysts among other groups drawn from Western region have roundly attacked the DP and asked him to publicly apologise over the remarks treated as an insult to the entire Mulembe community.
Weekly Citizen has information that irate women from the region are planning a demonstration aimed at showing the world their anger and compelling the DP to personally apologise over his outburst that is now threatening his political gains in the region as well as among women voters.
We are reliably informed that Busia women representative Florence Mutua is the brains behind the women demonstration against Ruto.
The initial plot was to organise a similar demonstration countrywide but this will depend on the kind of the tempo that would be brought by the Western Kenya chapter women demonstration.
Charity Ngilu
If it is successful then, Kitui governor Charity Nguli will play the role of mobilising Azimio La Umoja One Kenya alliance coalition women leaders to incite a countrywide demonstration against Ruto, as a way of causing maximum dent on his presidential bid just days to the general elections.
The Busia woman representative told Ruto to forget about the support of women leaders from the Luhya land even as Ngilu lashed out at the UDA presidential candidate.
Ruto’s remarks activated wrath from elders from the region led by former Forestry and Wildlife minister Noah Wekesa who cited that his actions were way below what is expected of someone seeking the highest political office in the country.
According to political observers, the escalating Ruto-Wamalwa spat has caused panic among Kenya Kwanza candidates in Western region who now feel that they are likely to be victimized by voters in the process of disciplining the DP at the ballot.
The damaging remarks come even as different opinion pollsters show that Raila is at the moment the most preferred presidential candidate in the country. Others however see the fuss about the remark as proof Azimio is desperate to catch up with Ruto and say it is akin to the drowning man clutching at straws. What is ironical being that women are by attacking Ruto implying that it is okay to beat women. Still, there are those who say the attack on Ruto is a holier than thou attitude in that ODM’s Junet Mohammed last year disdained albinos in Kenya by accusing Senator Isaac Mwaura of bleaching his skin to win sympathy yet no ODM leaders saw ill in that.
The reaction has also left Kenyans seeing double standards of Azimio in its claims that Ruto is disrepectful to Uhuru for saying he would have slapped Uhuru when Uhuru nearly gave in to despair under Raila onslaught yet their own man Babu Owino is on record calling Uhuru mtoto wa mbwa (son of a bitch) which many say is the worst insult ever publicly on Mama Ngina.
