Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa’s mediation between Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto, and Kalonzo Musyoka has paid off – at least for now.

Consequently, the Vice-President, who is smarting from being given a cold shoulder in the G7 Alliance by the Deputy Prime Minister and Eldoret North MP, is expected to join the two in their circuit of ‘peace’ rallies.

Kalonzo Musyoka (right) and Uhuru Kenyatta

The VP has been battling claims by some G7 leaders that he is lurking in their shadows with the hope of picking up the presidential ticket and their vote baskets should they lose petitions against full trial at The Hague. Kalonzo, who on Monday sought and got his party’s blessings to run on his own should things not work out in G7 Alliance, has also been grappling with pressure to act on Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo over his insistence the two should not be allowed to run for president.

“We are going to shame the devil and prophets of doom by demonstrating our unity. We are going to do our things in a more organised manner,” said Wamalwa, who on Monday played shuttle diplomacy between Kalonzo, Uhuru and Ruto.

It is believed he softened Ruto and Uhuru with the argument that the alliance would be weaker without Kalonzo, and it would not augur well for them to look too uncompromising and intolerant.

After missing two key engagements of the alliance, Kalonzo is expected to feature in the G7 rally at the weekend in western Kenya, which Wamalwa will host.

Ruto will host the North Rift edition of the G7 Alliance prayer rallies.

The VP’s spokesman Kaplich Barsito said on telephone the VP would confirm his participation in the rallies on Wednesday. It is, however, unlikely the VP would decline the invitation from Wamalwa given the assurances he is believed to have secured from Ruto and Uhuru that he would not be subject of aspersions, as has been the case at previous rallies.

Communication channels

Kalonzo will also be buoyed by the fact that Ruto, Uhuru, and Wamalwa have agreed with him there is need for the alliance to come up with a disputed resolution mechanism to deal with emerging issues that could disrupt the G7 Alliance.

“We will be coming up with proper communication channels because Ruto has said all G7 members have to work and walk together because the more they are the better for all,” said an MP allied to Eldoret North MP’s United Republican Party.

Wamalwa will host the G7 team in unity rallies in Kitale and Bungoma.

“Starting this weekend, we are preparing to forge ahead together and continue with the spirit we had in seeking to unite the people of Kenya,” Wamalwa told The Standard.

He revealed that after consultations on Monday and Tuesday morning, Kalonzo, Uhuru and Ruto had agreed they would attend the two rallies.

The MP said after meeting with Kalonzo at Ole Sereni Hotel on Monday, he went to meet Uhuru and Ruto. He said they agreed they should forge ahead with the planned rallies and preach unity.

“I will be leaving tomorrow for Kitale, to prepare the ground for the rallies,” Wamalwa said.

During the meeting on Monday, Kalonzo told the Press he welcomed the Wamalwa move, but was noncommittal on attendance. “I have not said ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to my brother Eugene, who I view as a serious presidential aspirant,” Kalonzo told the Press during a joint briefing.

His Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) National Executive Council meeting on Monday resolved Kalonzo would not attend future G7 rallies before party clearance.

Immediate answer

Assistant Minister David Musila, who is the WDM vice-chairman, announced the party would clear the VP for the meetings to avoid further embarrassment.

The NEC meeting resolved that Kalonzo would attend meetings as long as a joint organising committee of MPs — Mohamed Affey, David Munyaka, Johnstone Muthama, David Koech, Aden Duale, Ekwe Ethuro, and Jamleck Kamau approved it.

“It was in that context that Kalonzo needed to consult party leaders before giving an immediate answer to Wamalwa during the meeting on Monday,” said Sammy Seroney, a WDM NEC member.

The VP met Uhuru and Ruto at Norfolk Hotel last Friday.

After the meeting, Kalonzo did not attend a rally in Nyahururu the following day, as he went into talks with his strategists. He later attended a funeral in Machakos, further fuelling speculation he had been edged out, particularly because of perception he is shedding crocodile tears over Ruto and Uhuru’s tribulations.

Kalonzo consulted 100 elders from Eastern following the falling out. “The council of elders from Ukambani has come to see me following the issues in the G7 Alliance. They are concerned about the developments in the past few days,” Kalonzo told the Press at Ole Sereni, where he met Wamalwa.

Kalonzo went into a close-door meeting with the elders a few minutes after consulting Wamalwa. For the second time in a row, Mutula, who is the WDM Secretary General, did not attend the NEC meeting, as he was said to be engaged.

Last month, Mutula, against whom pressure to have him fired Kalonzo has resisted, skipped the Monday NEC meeting, where he was expected to be a subject of discussion following public differences over International Criminal Court process with the VP.

While Kalonzo says Uhuru and Ruto have a right to run for president, Mutula says the two did not meet the minimum requirements of Chapter six in the Constitution on integrity and leadership.

Government joint Chief Whip Johnstone Muthama has separately said Musyoka was being frustrated and sidelined by G7 Alliance leaders.

The Kangundo MP likened the political machinations facing Kalonzo to what former President Moi endured while serving as Vice-President to Jomo Kenyatta.

“We have advised Kalonzo to be patient and embrace humility the same way Moi did, while serving in the same position. Moi was regarded as a lame duck and no one thought he would take over the country’s leadership,” Muthama stated.

Muthama warned Ruto that the same pressure facing Kalonzo in the alliance would soon be directed at him.

“G7 has its owners and my brother Ruto should know that he will soon be facing the same frustrations that Kalonzo has endured,” Muthama warned.

By Vitalis Kimutai, The Standard

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