March election was a rehearsal for major political battles to come, says Musalia Mudavadi

Musalia Mudavadi; Amani Coalition's presidential candidate in the March 2013 poll.

Amani Coalition leader Musalia Mudavadi, a presidential candidate in the March poll last year, has been missing in action in the local political arena. He speaks for first time about lessons learned from the election and his political future, with The Standard writer Stephen Makabila.

One year after coming a distant third in the presidential race in the March 4, 2013, General Election, Amani Coalition leader Musalia Mudavadi says he is repackaging the alliance.

The former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM), who at one time also served as Vice-President, says the Kenyan electorate requires massive civic education to enable them ‘discipline’ dishonest politicians through the ballot, if the way they voted in the last election is anything to go by. The following are excerpts from the interview:

QUESTION: One year after the March 4, 2013, General Election in which you contested the presidency and lost, how have you moved on politically?

ANSWER: We are building on our gains while polishing up on the weaknesses. We had to do a post-mortem of the elections to know why we fared the way we did. Since the last election, I have had to constantly allay fears and fight continued propaganda about my political future. It was as if elections never ended. It has not been easy but that issue is now settled. We are now looking forward to strengthening the Amani Coalition.

QUESTION: Are there any lessons you learned from the last General Election?

ANSWER: There seems to be general antipathy towards honest and decent politics in Kenya. We seem to be along way away from ‘disciplining’ politicians whose truth is only meant to serve an immediate purpose. Dishonesty is worshipped. Heroes are those who detour from trust. We need massive civic education for the electorate.

QUESTION: What other activities do you engage in outside politics, now that you do not hold any elective office?

ANSWER: Actually little has changed. I am always busy and I even have a larger constituency to attend to as UDF Party and Amani Coalition leader. I also have a small business and I am a farmer. But these don’t occupy me as much as consulting with Amani Coalition supporters and partners.

QUESTION: You are the leader of the Amani Coalition whose constituent political parties signed post-election agreements with the ruling Jubilee coalition. Have they benefited from the Government and how? If not, Why?

ANSWER: Each partner signed a separate agreement. That may have weakened our bargaining power. However, UDF’s agreement is about co-operation at parliamentary level on policy matters. We reasoned that there were key Amani issues that cannot wait until we form Government after five years. In Parliament, there have been hiccups.

Our MPs have decried lack of consultation by our Jubilee partners. We had to decide that we would only support matters that we are of public interest and in which there has been consultation. Our supporters assume that the post-election agreement was on sharing of public appointments and rightly so. This is issue is still on the table. But I would rather that the Government adhere to the Constitution by ensuring parity in ethnic, gender and regional balance in public appointments. It is a constitutional obligation the Government cannot run away from and which Kenyans are right to demand.

QUESTION: Can you clear the air on whether you are interested in a Cabinet appointment in the Jubilee government as it has been suggested in some quarters? If not interested, how would you want to engage the Jubilee government on the basis of your (UDF) post-election agreement?

ANSWER: I don’t know where the spin has come from and I think it has been in bad faith. No one has made an offer to me so I will cross the bridge when such is made.

QUESTION: Do you think the Jubilee government is on the right track?

ANSWER: It has been encumbered by a lot of hurdles right from the start which has distracted it from what it really wants to do. Too many mixed signals are being sent out and policy coherence is yet to jell. It has not helped matters that it is the first Government under a very misunderstood new Constitution. I don’t envy them. Struggling with the constitutional implementation amidst political uncertainty can be a huge task that needs no other distraction like the ICC matter.

QUESTION: How are you strengthening the Amani coalition in readiness for 2017 and will you be on the presidential ballot?

ANSWER: I have said before that mine was a rehearsal for battles to come. We are in the process of re-branding Amani Coalition into a veritable movement. You will be hearing and seeing a lot of Amani activity this year. We want to have seamless elections soon and we want to avoid the chaos that you saw recently. After the disaster that has befallen our colleagues, many feel they will be better off in Amani.

QUESTION: There have been reports that the coalition will have a retreat this March. What is the agenda?

ANSWER: To look at various reports from technical teams that have worked on re-branding and restructuring and to chart the way forward for Amani

QUESTION: When is UDF as a party holding its grassroots and national elections?

ANSWER: At the last re-treat in December, it was proposed that activities towards elections by October begin in February this year. Part of the objective of the retreat is to have clarity on this matter. UDF elections will of course be in the context of the need for re-branding Amani Coalition. Should we be shepherding UDF or Amani? That is what we will be seeking consensus on.