By OSCAR OBONYO
By choosing a leopard as the symbol for his rebranded New Ford-Kenya party, presidential hopeful Eugene Wamalwa appears ready to charge at opponents. But he is hesitant and slow. ???
Although the Justice minister has repeatedly hinted to The Standard On Sunday that he was about to make public an “earth-shaking revelation”, this has not come to pass. Or if Wamalwa has made such a statement, then it has not been “earth shaking” as envisaged.
A case in point is last weekend when he promised to make a “major political statement” during a rally in Busia County, in what his handlers coined as ‘The Busia Declaration’. Except for the usual reiteration he was in the race to State House, Wamalwa made no declaration.
Instead it is Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, who had accompanied him, who made sensational revelations linking State House to presidential bids of Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Eldoret North MP William Ruto. The duo has since refuted the claims. ?
According to our sources, the “major political statement” had to do with him pulling out of the G7 grouping that revolves around Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Ruto and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka. This was meant to achieve two goals – protest at Uhuru and Ruto’s perceived dalliance with Mudavadi, and to independently chart own political path.????
The big question then is – what is holding the Saboti MP from executing this plot? Is it that he is indecisive or feels politically indebted to Uhuru and Ruto? Even if he is determined to forge ahead, is he a general with numbers but lacking resources? Alternatively, is the minister merely a prisoner of his core supporters in Western who want him to disengage from political partners?
Juma Mukhwana, a key member of Wamalwa’s think tank, best demonstrates Wamalwa’s dilemma: “The political situation is so fluid and even within the party (New Ford-Kenya), the dynamics are complex. Some forces favour separation from G7 while others insist Wamalwa should chart his future from within. It is an absolutely dicey affair.”
Mukhwana says, though, the minister is unlikely to discard old friends or shut doors to new ones in the political scene.
This, he explains, is because the journey ahead is slippery and must be approached with caution and tact. This is particularly the case, considering that the presidential poll under the new political dispensation is complex and may come through in two phases – the main poll and the runoff. ????
Curious revelations
But other sources close to Wamalwa say he has made up his mind to free himself from the stranglehold of Uhuru, who believably influenced his recent appointment to the Cabinet. One of the minister’s allies, who declined to be named, a “major political statement” was indeed made in Busia as promised, only that it was cleverly camouflaged.
“Jirongo made several curious revelations, some touching on Uhuru, Ruto, Mudavadi, and even State House. Why would Wamalwa move around the country with, and tolerate someone with such prickly observations?” he poses. ???
Despite their public show of unity, including Uhuru’s presence at Wamalwa’s party re-launch event last Sunday, reports indicate all is not rosy between the two politicians. The minister is said to be unhappy with Uhuru’s alleged plot to support Mudavadi’s presidential bid.
He reportedly rejected efforts by Uhuru to reconcile him with Mudavadi over the matter. Instead, an irked Wamalwa challenged Uhuru to publicly disassociate himself from Mudavadi. The Standard On Sunday was, however, unable to independently confirm the claims. ??
Nonetheless, the DPM has since publicly denied holding talks on a possible alliance with Mudavadi. Uhuru told off Mudavadi’s supporters in the United Democratic Forum (UDF), particularly Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni and his Laikipia West counterpart Nderitu Mureithi that he, and the Sabatia MP, were in talks for a joint presidential ticket. This was on Monday, only a day after attending Wamalwa’s party function.
Jack Wamboka, an ally of Wamalwa said: “He may appear weak and even indecisive, but the truth be told – Wamalwa is neither a puppet nor a pushover. He knows precisely what he is doing, where he is going, and just how he will get there.”
Back in Western, Wamalwa and Mudavadi who are members of the populous Luhya community are locked in a do-or-die political battle. Pundits say if Mudavadi clinches the presidency, Wamalwa might be technically locked out of the race for some years, “since Kenyans may not quickly embrace another Luhya for president”. ???????
The urge to sweep Luhya votes may have partly persuaded Wamalwa’s strategists in settling on the leopard as his political outfits symbol. The leopard is also the mascot of the AFC Leopards soccer team, 13-time Premier League champions, which enjoys fervent support among the Luhya.?
But Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale maintains Wamalwa is an overrated politician: “He can only be equated to a rolling stone that gathers no moss. He has tried an alliance with everyone, including with members of the outlawed Mungiki, Jimmy Kibaki of the defunct Simama-Kenya, and now Uhuru – all with little success.” ?
In the meantime, foes and friends are waiting to see whether and when Wamalwa will give meaning to his party symbol. At the moment he has exhibited no killer-instincts, as the famed ‘Ingwe’. Or maybe, like the leopard, he is just being calculative before he pounces.
