Musalia Mudavadi exploited tribe factor to gain popularity

ANC Party leader Musalia Mudavadi.

To me, the ‘earthquake’ that Mudavadi promised Kenyans was not the announcement of a merger between ANC and UDA parties, but the announcement that he is a Kalenjin. He affirmed he was born in Eldama Ravine contrary to the belief that he was born in Sabatia.

The revelation was a little troubling because Mudavadi had never said that before and secondly, he said it while on a campaign trail in the company of DP William Ruto. This raises questions on the significance of ethnicity in voter mobilisation in Kenya and the quest for identity politics. We all know Mudavadi is a Luhya, but very few people know that he has Kalenjin ethnological links.