Moment of truth in G7

By MUTINDA MWANZIA and VITALIS KIMUTAI

The G7 alliance that groups Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto is trying to fend off an imminent rift.

The triggers for major cracks that have emerged in the alliance are comments made at a rally over the weekend in which the VP hosted his colleagues in the alliance.

Those in the Uhuru and Ruto camps are said to be unhappy with Kalonzo over the pronouncements that were made in the Kamba language to their faces, although they did not immediately understand what was said.

Impeccable sources told The Standard that the two are reviewing their partnership with the VP following the comments that appeared to suggest the VP’s allies are hoping he can benefit if Uhuru and Ruto have to stand trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka receives a laptop from employees of WinComp Services in aid of the Wiper Democratic Movement Secretariat, Wednesday. [PHOTO: VPPS]

Kangundu MP Johnstone Muthama, a staunch ally of Kalonzo, made some utterances during the rally at Machakos that have raised hackles.

MPs backing Ruto and Uhuru believe the comments suggested that the VP stands to gain if Uhuru and Ruto are committed to stand trial at The Hague.

They are also unhappy with Kalonzo over remarks attributed to Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Mutula Kilonzo, a member of the VP’s Wiper party, that they cannot run for the presidency as long as still having cases at the ICC.

And they have demanded that Kalonzo fires Mutula from the docket or have him moved to a lesser ministry, if he has to continue associating with the G7 alliance.

Correct version

Ruto and Uhuru’s allies say they have been forced to repeatedly watch the video clips of the Machakos rally, and also invited translators to give them the correct version of the utterances by Muthama and other allies of the VP.

Wednesday, a furious Muthama addressed a news conference at Parliament Buildings at which he was adamant that his speech at the Kenyatta stadium rally in Machakos over the weekend had been wrongly translated.

He explained that his remarks in Kamba that “veekwa aati tukekaati” (When that happens, we will do something) did not have any link to the ICC tribulations facing Uhuru and Ruto, but has a statement he has used even before joining politics.

“Those saying that Kalonzo will reap politically from the tribulations of the two are being dishonest. Personally I cannot celebrate when my brothers are faced with the ICC cases,” said Muthama.

Nevertheless a pre-election rift between the VP and the Uhuru-Ruto camps appears imminent unless he can convince them otherwise.

Honest player

“All the people from the area whom we have called to translate the clips have all confirmed our worst fears of what was said at the rally, and we now know what was said,” added Cheranganyi MP Joshua Kuttuny, an ally of Ruto in an interview with The Standard.

Kuttuny was categorical that the writing is on the wall that the VP is not part of their team, accusing him of not being an honest player.

The Cheranganyi legislator said that during the Machakos Rally, a section of councillors repeated that the Kalenjins and Kikuyu’s have produced Presidents since Independence, and it is now the turn of other tribes in the Alliance.

“We felt that they were attacking Uhuru and Ruto openly and that is something we will not accept,” said Kuttuny.

On Tuesday, MP’s allied to Uhuru met at the Sagret Hotel in Nairobi and took issue with the VP for failing to act on Mutula, despite Kalonzo being the party leader of Wiper.

They are said to have pushed for the replacement of Muthama as PNU chief Whip. Also facing fire is Muthama’s deputy Jeremiah Kioni for allegedly implying that Uhuru and Ruto were looking for a compromise candidate should they be committed to stand trial at The Hague. They said such public outbursts were causing rifts in the alliance.

The G7 Alliance has held prayers-cum-rallies in Eldoret, Ruiru, Meru,  Mombasa , Kajiado, Machakos, and are expected in Nyahururu over the weekend.

Dujis MP Aden Duale another staunch ally of Ruto, said it was very clear that the Vice President was hiding some cards under the table in his political dealings with the G7 members.

“We want honest players in the G7 alliance as it has become clear by utterances of his lieutenants that Kalonzo has not been wholly honest, and he wants to deal with the G7 the way he dealt with ODM ahead of the 2007 General Election. We will not allow that to happen,” said a passionate Duale.

Kuttuny and Duale were both clear that the Uhru-Ruto axis believe the utterances by Mutula and Muthama had the blessings of their party leader Kalonzo.

“It is just like the way Miguna Miguna used to speak on behalf of Prime Minister Raila Odinga. It was clear to all he had the blessings of his boss even though both parties denied it,” he added.

Transparent alliances

Duale further claimed there was evidence that the VP had convened a meeting prior to the Machakos rally that failed to discuss Mutula’s recent utterances, contrary to expectations.

“The United Republican Party (URP) believes in constructive, democratic, honest and transparent alliances. We are asking the Vice President to treat the G7 alliance members with respect if he wants the same to be accorded to him,” Duale stated.

He added: “When we were in Eldoret, which is a URP stronghold and Gatundu, which is Kanu turf, we did not face the problems we faced in Machakos where a joint prayer meeting was turned into a Wiper Democratic Movement affair. It is unfortunate and uncalled for that Kalonzo could stoop that low.”

Kuttuny said Kalonzo had declined to take action against Mutula in the same way President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga acted against former Justice Minister Martha Karua, and former Higher Education Minister William Ruto.

“Kalonzo should be told in no uncertain terms that the time to play “Mr Clean” are over as we want to interact with people in their true colours,” said Kuttuny.

He interpreted the outburst as a blessing in disguise for the alliance, claiming it had exposed the brand of politics employed by Kalonzo at an early stage.

Kuttuny said that after the Machakos rally, MPs allied to Uhuru and Ruto trooped to Kitengela where they expressed dissatisfaction with the way Kalonzo has been treating the issue of Mutula’s utterances.

They alleged that Kalonzo and his lieutenants have not come out strongly to denounce Mutula during the prayer rallies, fuelling speculation that they were “shedding crocodile tears” through their solidarity.