Wiper Party leader Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka deserves a break. A break from politics, a break from mockery, a break from memes, and a break from his self-inflicted political injuries.
The former vice president indeed behaved like an entitled, petulant child in his demands to be named the running mate to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
And just like a father handles a child throwing a fit in the supermarket, Odinga did not succumb to Musyoka’s and surrogates’ demands.
After making several futile attempts to persuade Musyoka, including meeting with him at his home and meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta, Odinga did what any responsible adult would do – he moved on, leaving Musyoka with nothing.
Naming Karua as Azimio la Umoja Deputy President candidate was the right decision. Supporters’ loud jubilation at KICC and opinion polls validate the move.
Depending on the August 9 election outcome, Odinga’s decision to move on and name NARC-Kenya leader Martha Karua as his running mate is the most decisive moment in his political career.
Naming Karua as Azimio la Umoja Deputy President candidate was the right decision. Supporters’ loud jubilation at Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) validated the move.
Additionally, the latest opinion polls show Odinga ahead of his rival, Deputy President William Ruto, thanks to the excitement of naming Karua at the top of the ticket.
Musyoka is not a fool; he can see the dynamics have shifted. He knows his presidential run is going nowhere, and the more he keeps at it, the more of a joke he becomes. Karua, a historic candidate, is the right candidate for the moment, and she has brought momentum to Azimio’s side.
If elected, Karua would be the first woman in Kenya’s history to occupy the second-highest office on the land. Her appointment has given women a voice at the apex of leadership and created the possibility that women, who form a majority of Kenya’s population, might be swayed toward voting for Azimio, making a new constituency that tribal inclinations might not sway.
Lucky for Musyoka, Azimio gave him a lifeline. Odinga offered him the chief minister position, which would make him an influential member of the executive, almost at the same level as the deputy president.
He’d be a fool not to accept the offer because all other avenues are closed. While running to Kenya Kwanza might be an attractive idea, the reality is that the pie there is divided, and he’d automatically be an inferior partner.
Reports indicate that Musyoka is considering the offer. He has slowed down his paka-na-panya presidential campaign, and Wiper Party has not followed up on its threat to officially file a court petition to withdraw from the Azimio coalition.
KALONZO’S DEMANDS
According to media reports, the Wiper Party leader has demanded Odinga put the chief minister’s job offer in writing to make it binding. He wants his party allocated 20 percent of the government positions, a greedy gambit in a broad coalition such as Azimio.
Musyoka also wants security of tenure for his position as chief minister, a reasonable demand that must come with caveats, just in case he decides to go rogue, as Ruto did in the UhuRuto administration.
Musyoka is on record that once elected, he’d follow Ruto’s example and start campaigning for his presidential bid immediately after Odinga is sworn in, a move that would make Odinga a lame-duck president in his first term. The comment caused consternation within Azimio and may have contributed to him losing the top spot during the running mate vetting process.
Kalonzo Musyoka says he will follow DP Ruto’s footsteps; begin his
2027 presidential elections immediately Raila Odinga is sworn in pic.twitter.com/wcBbncmQyY— The Standard Digital (@StandardKenya) March 14, 2022
Makau Mutua, Odinga’s campaign spokesperson, said Musyoka told him the comment was a joke, but few believe he was kidding. As insurance and a show of good faith, Musyoka must agree to some guardrails that would make going rogue or undermining the president a fireable offense in exchange for tenure as chief minister.
Odinga should agree to other demands– an office in Harambee House, an official residence, and a generous retirement package.
A MAN HELD HOSTAGE
While it’s true that Kalonzo commands a significant following in the Eastern region, his indecisiveness and whining have damaged his brand. He seems to be held hostage by his Ukambani party members.
His lieutenant’s wild ultimatums toward Odinga reek of disrespect. This dangerous and short-sighted trend might antagonize Odinga’s base and make it impossible for him to rise to the presidency.
The surrogates’ demands failed as Odinga did not yield and named Karua his running mate. However, they exposed the leaders as tribal chauvinists who lacked the vision of the historical significance of appointing a woman to the number two position in Kenya’s leadership.
His inability to influence other running mate contenders from attending the vetting process showed he lacks clout outside his home base, exposing him as tribal chief.
Musyoka once said he’d be the stupidest person on earth if he supported Odinga for a third time. Still, he declared “Raila Tosha” and joined Odinga-led Azimio la Umoja, which he renamed Azimio-One Kenya to stamp his ownership.
He said he’d not appear before Azimio’s running mate vetting panel, but after seeing other candidates attending, he changed his mind and showed up out of fear of standing alone, which would have made it easier to disqualify him. He also showed up because he recognized his underdog status in the relationship, and as a person with presidential ambitions, he could not afford to be left out.
His inability to influence other running mate contenders from attending the vetting process showed he lacks clout outside his home base, exposing him as tribal chief.
While Musyoka’s antics make him a risky partner, the fact remains that he commands a sizeable voting block that Azimio cannot afford to lose. And at the moment, he holds the trigger that could derail Azimio if he’s not given a good deal of what’s left on the table.
Azimio should accept most of his new demands and grant him respectable latitude.