Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka is the prodigal son of Kenyan politics.
Like in the biblical parable, after squandering his fortune, the prodigal son decided to return home destitute. He planned to ask for his father’s forgiveness after wasting his inheritance on an extravagant lifestyle and beg him to take him in as a servant.
But to his surprise, his father welcomed him back and threw him a lavish party.
After months of dilly-dallying and shuttling in and out of Raila Odinga’s camp, Musyoka announced he had rejoined Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance to stay.
The Thursday announcement came after weeks of drama where Musyoka threatened to walk away from the coalition if he was not named the Odinga’s running mate for the third time. The former vice president hinted Wednesday that he’d issue an “earthquake” announcement.
As fate would have it, the Wiper Democratic Party leader met with Odinga in a meeting that may have swayed Musyoka’s decision and stand concerning the much anticipated and fast approaching August 9th general election.
Azimio’s spokesman Prof. Makau Mutua telegraphed Musyoka’s move with a cryptic tweet on Wednesday.
“TOMORROW will be the END of UDA as we know it. The END,” Mutua said.
He followed up the tweet with another one after Musyoka’s announcement.
“UDA is done DONE. SC @skmusyoka has SPOKEN” Mutua tweeted a follow-up Thursday.
Musyoka opened up about his decision to return.
“After wide consultations with the party leadership, clergy, and the professionals, I have decided to accept with humility and appreciation my nomination as the chief minister in the Azimio One Kenya coalition,” Kalonzo Musyoka said, much to the glee of Odinga’s supporters of and disappointment of William Ruto’s fan base.
Musyoka has come off as someone who wanted his way or the highway in the previous weeks. His apparent indecision attracted attention from Deputy President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza camp, even though the senior counsel had repeatedly said he would not join the Kenya Kwanza brigade.
Impatient souls within Azimio started to give up on Musyoka. Some even advised Odinga to cut him loose and move on without him. Meanwhile, Musyoka’s antics allowed the Ruto camp to send him unsolicited advice driving a wedge between him and Odinga.
“If there is anyone out there who still wonders if Ukambani is 100 percent in Azimio la Umoja, who still doubts the resolve of the Kamba community to rally behind Baba to the last man, here is your answer,” Gov. Charity Ngilu.
Ruto encouraged Musyoka to be defiant and say no to Azimio’s intimidation. The Kenya Kwanza team has succeeded in branding Azimio as a coalition of the unwilling, coerced by blackmail from Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Media reports indicate Kenyatta, who supports Azimio la Umoja faction, played a role in Musyoka’s latest change of heart.
While announcing his about-turn on Thursday, the supposed Kamba kingpin said that Odinga and his team would win the August polls with his backing.
“I commit myself to the Azimio-OKA campaign activities because we are in this race to win,” Musyoka said.
Musyoka’s purported running mate Andrew Sunkuli, praised the move by the Wiper Party leader, saying that stepping aside in favor of Odinga’s bid does not make him a weak leader and that he fully supports the decision.
“Giving way, in fact, gives way to you becoming a great man tomorrow,” Sunkuli said.
Excitement and a Sigh of relief in Azimio
Azimio running mate Martha Karua welcomed Musyoka.
Welcome home my brother and friend @skmusyoka looking forward to working together @AzimioUmoja under the leadership of our captain @RailaOdinga on this final lap
— Martha Karua SC (@MarthaKarua) June 2, 2022
While many in Azimio are exhausted with Musyoka’s indecisiveness, none wished for him to move to Kenya Kwanza. As the undisputed king of Kambaland politics, Musyoka commands a solid block of voters. His departure could have denied Odinga the 51 percent votes needed to avoid a run-off.
The Wiper leader faced pressure from his party, Ukambani leaders, and politicians allied to Azimio and Kenya Kwanza.
Among the first to celebrate his return are his Ukambani colleagues, Governors Charity Ngilu and Prof. Kivutha Kibwana.
Team Ukambani @skmusyoka, @mamangilu, and myself is ready for the great mission of delivering a @RailaOdinga Presidency in round one,” Kibwana said in a tweet.
Ngilu posted a triumphant tweet to mark Musyoka’s return to Azimio.
“If there is anyone out there who still wonders if Ukambani is 100 percent in Azimio la Umoja, who still doubts the resolve of the Kamba community to rally behind Baba to the last man, here is your answer,” Ngilu tweeted under a photo of her holding hands in solidarity with Musyoka, Odinga, and Kibwana.
Ngilu likened Musyoka’s return to the Azimio fold to the 2002 election when leading Kenyan politicians teamed up and supported the late President Mwai Kibaki to win the presidency by an overwhelming margin.
“This year 2022, exactly 20 years later, I say the best among us is
@RailaOdinga the 5th. This is another Unbowgable moment, so I am very happy to join my brother @skmusyoka in ensuring that together we win with over 60 percent and bring our people into government,” Ngilu said in a Tweet.
Leaders allied to Odinga’s Azimio and Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza weighed in on the Musyoka decision jamboree-cum-disappointment.
Babu Owino, the outspoken Embakasi East Constituency Member of Parliament, lauded Musyoka’s turnaround, saying it was crucial to Raila Odinga’s race.
“Ninamshukuru Kalonzo Musyoka. Zile kura zako milioni 2.5 tumeingiza katika kikapu cha Raila Odinga,” the MP said in a rally.
Gideon Moi, the Baringo Senator and close ally to Musyoka, expressed his gratitude for Musyoka’s decision. It is believed that the Senator was instrumental in convincing Musyoka to return to Odinga’s camp.
“I want to thank my brother H.E Kalonzo Musyoka for vacating his presidential ambitions and agreeing to support Hon. Raila Odinga and Hon. Martha Karua unequivocally under the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party. Tusonge mbele kama injili sasa” said the son of former President Daniel Moi.
Elsewhere, the Kenya Kwanza allied leaders jabbed and downplayed the decision of the former Vice President to rejoin Azimio’s side.
Ahmednasir Abdullahi, the celebrated flamboyant lawyer and ardent supporter of William Ruto’s presidential ambition, mocked Musyoka.
“Presidential candidate…then Deputy Presidential nominee…now Cabinet Secretary for Tourism…a case study in humility and self-appreciation!” He tweeted.
Kiprotich Cherargei, the Nandi Senator, didn’t mince his words in his reaction to Musyoka’s decision to return to the Azimio coalition.
“Kalonzo Musyoka is a politically spent force and a relic in Kenya’s political arithmetic with zero political value. He just hit the last nail on the coffin of Kuzimia Alliance awaiting humiliating defeat by Kenya Kwanza govt led by H.E @WilliamsRuto,” he tweeted.
Kenyans’ Reaction
Memes mocking him have gone viral on WhatsApp.
Kalonzo left
Kalonzo added
Kalonzo left
Kalonzo added
Kalonzo left
Kalonzo joined through link
Kalonzo is now an admin…Next
Kalonzo removed Raila
Kalonzo removed Karua
Kalonzo added Sunkulicoup d’etat”
“Bure kabisa,” a member in a WhatsApp group responded amid 4 laughter emojis, “I don’t even know why people are even talking about him and hyping him up.”
Kenyans also weighed in on the heated debate, with mixed reactions.
“Kalonzo cannot make any meaningful leader in this country as he is enslaved to Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta,” Charles Rioba said.
Kiptum Daniel laughed off Musyoka’s about-turn to Azimio, implying it was inconsequential.
“Kalonzo Musyoka is joining Asimio for the 30th time, and minions want us to believe it is an earthquake?” Kiptum wondered aloud.
Sophie Mwiti opined that Musyoka’s decision would work for his good in the future.
“Kalonzo has done the right thing. Kenya is proud. When the time is right, God will make it happen for him too,” Mwiti said prophetically.
Millicent Atieno said she was not surprised by Musyoka’s decision, as “he didn’t have any other choices.”
For Brian Isoe, Kalonzo’s ping pong game might still not have come to an end.
Despite his gloating about the high number of voters he brings to the Azimio OKA alliance, Kenyans are tired of his manner of politics and need leaders who are defined by strong characters. Who knows who he will betray next?” Isoe posed.
Like the prodigal son in the Bible, by returning to Azimio, Musyoka may have grabbed onto a much-needed political lifeline that he could have squandered had he insisted on going it alone. Still his antics and indecisiveness, have solidified perceptions that he’s “watermelon” meaning wishy-washy, and left a bad taste in some Azimio supporters’ mouth.