Wiper leaders hold strategy talks, tell Kalonzo to go for top seat in 2017

In a development that could excite political players within the Opposition, former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has yielded to demands from leaders of his Wiper Democratic Movement to go for the presidency in 2017.

During a leaders meeting called by the party leader at his Yatta home in Machakos County yesterday, the leaders said that Wiper was a strong party capable of producing a strong presidential candidate to take over the mantle of leadership in the country.

“We are here to declare the party position on 2017 elections. Wiper party will have a presidential candidate and the leaders you see here are speaking that language,” National Assembly Minority Leader Francis Nyenze, set the tone amid a thunderous applause from the crowd.

Although he did not openly state that he would run for the top seat in the next elections, Kalonzo’s remarks, though subtle, were interpreted by those present as an acceptance to contest the presidency in 2017.

“I have listened to you all, I have listened to what every one of you has said and I have heard you. That is the way to go,” Kalonzo said amid cheers.

This development comes at a time when members of the rival Jubilee Coalition are planning to merge the two main member parties – President Uhuru Kenyatta’s The National Alliance (TNA) and United Republican Party (URP) of Deputy President William Ruto.

Declared interest

The move by the Wiper Party leaders is also bound to up the political stakes within the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), where Kalonzo alongside Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga and Moses Wetang'ula of Ford Kenya are co-principals.The former Prime Minister and the Senate Minority leader have already declared their interest in running for the presidency as well in 2017.

The leaders who gathered at Kalonzo’s home included governors, senators, MPs and MCAs. They said Kalonzo was a tested leader capable of leading the country. They vowed to unite behind him and ensure his name was on the presidential ballot in the coming elections.

During the event, Nyenze paraded all the Wiper MPs and emphasised the need for unity as the party prepared to produce a single candidate supported by all party leaders.

Conspicuously missing from the event was Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua who has been accused of working closely with the Jubilee Government to undermine the Wiper party leader and frustrate his future political ambitions.

Also missing was Mwingi North MP John Munuve who has in the past indicated he has no time for party politics. Machakos Deputy Governor Bernard Kiala, who has been at loggerheads with his boss, received a standing ovation when he stood to speak. Another notable absentee was Yatta MP Francis Mwangangi who, by virtue of being the area MP, was expected to play a lead role at the function as the host.

Reached for comment, Mwangangi said he had nothing to do with the Wiper event, since he was not a member of the party.

“But even as area MP and a political leader in Ukambani, there was nothing compelling for me to attend, if not to merely help boost a falling career of a politician, who in my opinion, is supposed to retire.

I had better things to do for the benefit of my constituents,” the Muungano Development Party-allied MP told The Standard on Sunday.

The issue of party discipline cropped up with some leaders calling on the party leader to crack the whip and kick out rebels who were said to be holding the party back and scuttling its potential.

Of concern were the political squabbles in Machakos and Makueni counties, with leaders vowing to contain them and give Kalonzo ample time to seek votes elsewhere in the country. Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr said Kalonzo was a national leader who should not be held back by home squabbles, saying all the rebels within the party needed to be shown the door as a way of cleaning the party.

Wiper party chairman and Kitui Senator David Musila said 2015 was going to be a decisive year for the party and warned party dissidents that their time was up.

“2015 is not going to be business as usual, party members who do not toe the party line will only have themselves to blame,” warned Musila.

The senator announced that plans were underway to revamp the party by holding party elections between February and June this year to get rid of rebels who were rocking the party from within. Musila said the party was ready for dialogue and called on President Kenyatta to ignore Jubilee hardliners whom he said were dividing the country. “The President should take the lead and consult Opposition leaders in order to heal the country. We do not want to go the hardliners’ way because we too have hardliners in our coalition,” said Musila.

Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar said Wiper will have strong internal mechanisms as the country gears up for the next poll.

“Wiper is a strong party with capacity to take over the leadership of this country. Our leaders need to stop the underdog mentality and position themselves to take the reins of power,” Mr Omar said.

Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama proposed that Kalonzo should be nominated as CORD’s presidential flag bearer, saying he stood a better chance of winning the presidency among his peers.

Kitui Governor Julius Malombe urged elected leaders on the Wiper party ticket to commit themselves and their resources to the party, and cautioned leaders championing divisive and petty politics to stop.

His Makueni counterpart Kivutha Kibwana advised party leaders to show their  commitment to the party if the party is to be supported by others in its quest for the top seat.

In his remarks, Kalonzo said the political landscape was now changing, saying he had started a journey to liberate the country.

Time is up

Kalonzo said he was best suited to clean the country of tribalism and corruption, claiming the Jubilee Government was working to entrench those vices.

On party rebels, Kalonzo said he was ready to stamp his authority and clean the party. “If you are elected on Wiper ticket, you can’t deviate from the party position unless you are a crook. I am putting such people on notice. Their time in the party is now up,” said Kalonzo.

The former vice president at the same time called for dissolution of Makueni County Government, saying that such a move would send a strong message to corrupt leaders and give the county residents a chance to elect new leaders committed to development.

Others present were nominated Senator Judy Sijeni, Nairobi Deputy Governor Jonathan Mueke and delegations from Siaya, Kisumu, Marsabit, Mombasa, Garissa, Tana River, Kajiado, Narok, Kisii, Kakamega and Baringo among others.