Rebellion Hits Wiper Over Kalonzo’s Pact with Uhuru

July 22, 2020

The latest resolution by Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka to quit NASA coalition and join Jubilee party might do him more harm than good as division emerges within its internal structures.

Sometimes back, Wiper’s National Executive Committee, the top decision-making organ, met in a virtual session and gave the ex-VP the go-ahead to enter into a coalition agreement with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party.

The development meant Wiper will divorce from the Opposition coalition as the law does not allow political parties to belong to more than one coalition.

Already a rebellion among its members has emerged as section of leaders claim that they were not properly consulted accusing Kalonzo of signing the deal for his gain and without their consent.

They claim the deal would see some key allies of party leader Kalonzo Musyoka lose their plum positions in Parliament.

Legislators who risk losing their positions include Senate Minority Whip Mutula Kilonzo Jnr, National Assembly Deputy Minority Leader Robert Mbui (Kathiani), Parliamentary Service Commission member Ben Momanyi (Borabu) and Public Accounts Committee vice-chair Jessica Mbalu of Kibwezi East.

“We will pull out of NASA once we finalise coalition modalities with Jubilee. We will also inform our coalition partners about our decision. Today resolves that NEC has given the go-ahead for the coalition,” she said.

“We will engage our partners on everything. But we have no problem losing the positions,” added Sijeny.

Just two years ago, at the height of 2017 presidential campaigns, Kalonzo had to fight off rumours that he was quietly working on a scheme that would have seen him decamp to Jubilee to support President Kenyatta’s re-election.

Always predictable, Mr Kalonzo has a knack of displaying an unusual excitement even when the political deals are modest as was the case on Wednesday, or even when he is competing against himself.

During the burial of his father, Mr Musyoka, in a similar excited fashion endeared himself to the President, going to the extent of declaring himself as the President’s “mtu wa mkono”.

“From today, let no one separate me and my brother Uhuru. I have accepted to run his errands. Those who will attempt to interfere will see my other side,” he thundered at his father’s burial.