VP reaches out to Balala, Wamalwa

By Athman Amran

The meeting between Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Mvita MP Najib Balala a month after the VP met Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa to plot their future bears signs of a new alliance in the making.

This is taking into consideration that while Mr Balala was kicked out of ODM, Kalonzo and Mr Wamalwa have seemingly been side-lined within the G7 Alliance since the entry of Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi into the scene. The VP has, however, consistently insisted that he is still in the G7 Alliance.

Mudavadi left ODM for United Democratic Forum, and has expressed readiness to work with the G7 Alliance, whose top leaders are Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto.

But while some political observers feel that the VP’s relationship with Eugene may not go far, taking into account that the Saboti MP may be fighting a losing battle in Western against Mudavadi, Ford- Kenya leader Moses Wetangula and ODM, some also feel that Balala may not be a “big catch” for Kalonzo.

University of Nairobi lecturer Adams Oloo told The Standard On Sunday under the current circumstances, Balala may have little to offer politically at the Coast.

Faced similar fates

“I do not see any popularity of Balala at the Coast,” Oloo said adding that the Mvita MP cannot influence Muslims to move with him to the Wiper Party.

The lecturer said Balala was in the National Muslim Leaders Forum (Namlef), which worked with ODM in 2007 just because he was a Muslim. It does not follow that Namlef would follow him to Kalonzo’s party.

When Balala was sacked from the Tourism Ministry, Oloo argues, Muslims did not hold press conferences or protests to demonstrate that they sympathised with him.

He also pointed out that no MP from Coast or other leaders protested at Balala’s sacking. Nominated MP Sheikh Muhammad Dor was the only ODM legislator who was on the former minister’s side.

And while Namlef chairman Sheikh Abdillahi Abdi supported Balala, no other Muslim organisation protested the Mvita MP’s sacking.

“I cannot put Balala in the league of politicians who would move with considerable support behind him,” Oloo said. He said the two are attracted because they have recently faced similar fates, with Kalonzo being side-lined from the G7 and Balala being kicked out of ODM.

“The two have failed to get into any other meaningful alliance of late,” Oloo said.

Macharia Munene of the United States International University-Africa in Nairobi said he saw no harm in the two working together as a team.

“As long as Balala has a following at the Coast, it will go some way to help Kalonzo,” Prof Munene said.

He said although Matuga MP Chirau Mwakwere might have some influence within the Mijikenda community, Balala could have support in Mombasa, Kilifi and Lamu among other areas of the region.

WDM Machakos County coordinator Francis Mwangangi said the VP is doing the right thing by roping in Balala arguing that this is not out of place considering his background of diplomacy and campaign for unity.

“It is good to reach out to other Kenyans to ensure a united Kenya and peaceful elections,” Mwangangi said.

Religious card

He said the VP should continue seeking allies throughout the country as his Ukambani backyard is intact and would overwhelmingly support his presidency bid.

“He should go around to talk to like-minded leaders elsewhere as in Ukambani we are all united behind him,” Mwangangi said.

Kabarak University lecturer Dr Paul Chirchir said it is difficult at this moment to know what Balala would exactly bring into the VP’s political basket given that he has not even officially launched his political vehicle.

“We do not know which direction it will take and what is his (Balala’s) rallying call,” Chirchir said adding that at the moment both of them are anticipating something from one another.

He, however, said that the Mvita MP’s support at the Coast cannot be underrated. “Those who think Balala has no following, like they had dismissed Mudavadi when he parted ways with Prime Minister Raila Odinga could be shocked,” he said.

Chirchir also said the Muslim factor cannot also be dismissed although he said the religious card cannot very much be dependent on a region where other Muslim candidates are also standing for elective posts in other political parties.

The VP and Balala announced their alliance last Wednesday during the opening of Makupa and Makande secondary schools in Mvita, Mombasa County.

The VP described it as “an alliance of patriots with the same vision for the country standing against those who preach hate”.

Balala praised Kalonzo describing him as “a friend of Muslims”.

“He has taken care of our interests as Muslims and people of the Coast,” he said.

The VP said a formal declaration of the alliance would be made at the Tononoka grounds at a later date. Kalonzo said WDM and Balala’s party will work as a coalition.