Why Wiper Party must force Raila to support Kalonzo or ruin the game altogether

In 2013, Wiper party leader enjoyed maximum support from the entire Ukambani region and managed to convince the Kamba people to vote as a block to the CORD coalition leader Raila Amolo Odinga. Anyone who was opposed to the coalition was sent home at the ballot box with the likes of the current Kitui governor Charity Ngilu who vied then for the senatorial seat on a NARC falling victim. 

As usual, an MOU was signed between the then CORD leader Mr. Odinga and Mr. Musyoka binding them together until the next election was Mr. Odinga was expected to return the favour by supporting Kalonzo. We all know that the CORD coalition was beaten by President Uhuru’s combination of TNA and URP.

Mr. Odinga and his CORD principals including the Wiper party leader were to remain in the opposition until 2017. Its in 2017 when the need for the opposition to regroup arose again and this time round, Mr. Odinga beseeched Mr. Musyoka to support him once again since he didn’t make it in 2013.

At first, Mt. Musyoka was hesitant to heed to the unity calls by Mr. Odinga. However, circumstances forced them to unite if there were to make any match for the President Uhuru-led Jubilee party which was formed following the merger of TNA and URP Party and other small parties.

This is how NASA was born with another MOU, with the Wiper Party leader Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka supporting Mr. Odinga in exchange for a promise that he would support him come 2022.

Repeat polls

We are all aware of what happened after UhuRuto won the presidency and the repeat presidential election which followed courtesy of a petition which had been filed at the Supreme Court by NASA contesting the election results.

A lot of drama followed the repeat election which was boycotted by NASA, demos and repatriation of Miguna Miguna the lawyer who swore in Raila Odinga as the “Peoples’ President” ensued; the swearing in was boycotted by other NASA principals due to its treasonous nature.

Few months down the line after Mr. Odinga and his ODM party accused the other NASA co-principals of betrayal, the opposition leader shook hands with President Uhuru Kenyatta in what was thought to be a sign of peace and unity in the country. However, Mr. Odinga went it alone without bothering to invite his fellow NASA ci-principals into the handshake.

Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper party, Mudavadi’s ANC and Wetang’ula’s FORD Kenya were later forced to sign their separate MOUs with the Jubilee government. The ODM party later would deny the other NASA parties their share of the money they got from the political party funding kit.

As if this wasn’t enough, Mr. Odinga and his ODM party watered down the agreements of the MOU he signed to support Kalonzo in 2022, claiming that he never won presidency hence the MOU stood null and void.

Now we are in an election year, and Mr. Odinga either due to his pressure or for unknown reason seems to have convinced the President that he was the best man to beat his Deputy Dr. William Ruto whom they fell out with immediately after the handshake.

Mr. Odinga seems to be employing all tactics to ensure that he gets endorsement from his former coalition partners who have since left NASA and regrouped into a One Kenya Coalition (OKA).

However, Wiper Party’s Kalonzo Musyoka has earlier pronounced that he would rather retire from politics other than ever again reducing himself to be Raila Odinga’s running mate.

The question would now be, would Mr. Musyoka deny his word and support Mr. Odinga for a third time or would he be bold enough and ruin the entire political scheme by either opting to join the DP’s camp or going into the election alone with his OKA friend to see whether they can prompt a rerun and punish Mr. Odinga in his own game?

The English men said, “Once bitten, twice shy”, only a gullible person would accept a third betrayal.

BY BONIFACE MWANIKI