Mudavadi will gang up with opponents to defeat Uhuru, Raila's BBI

ANC Party Secretary-General Barack Muluka during an interview with Tony Gachoka for KTN Point Blank. [Wilberforce Okwiri/Standard]

Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi will team up with opponents of the constitutional changes being fronted by the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

In an interview on KTN News last night, ANC Secretary-General Barrack Muluka, who termed the BBI illegal, argued that the law provides for an amendment to the Constitution only through a popular or parliamentary initiative.

He revealed that Mr Mudavadi and the party snubbed meetings with the BBI team because it has no legal basis.

The BBI team was formed after a political truce – handshake – between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition chief Raila Odinga. The team was tasked with addressing the key challenges Kenyans face, and is expected to table its report in October.

“Mudavadi will team up with other opponents to defeat President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga should the BBI lead to a referendum,” said Mr Muluka.

“My party leader Mudavadi and the party itself did not make any presentations to the Building Bridges Initiative, therefore, we will go flat out to shoot down any referendum if it is recommended.”

He accused Uhuru and Raila of breaking the law by advocating changes to the Constitution, and said ANC would protect the supreme law by shooting down any calls for amendments.

“Raila has no locus standi to sit with Uhuru and propose constitutional changes. Amendments to the country’s supreme law can only be got through Parliament or a popular vote. BBI is a mongrel and any proposal it (puts forward) is unconstitutional, and we call upon all Kenyans not to let politicians amend the law for selfish gains,” Muluka said.

Like-minded politicians

Asked if ANC would team up with Deputy President William Ruto to oppose constitutional changes, Muluka answered in the affirmative.

“ANC will team up with Ruto and any other like-minded politicians to vote against the referendum, which some political observers say might take place in June next year,” he said.

The Deputy President has on many occasions said he will not back changes to the Constitution that are meant to create new positions in the Executive.

Muluka was speaking on the political talk show Point Blank, which airs every Wednesday night on KTN News and is hosted by Tony Gachoka.

In a bid to carve his own political space and strengthen his party ahead of his 2022 presidential bid, Mudavadi has declared an all-out war on Raila and plans to floor him in the upcoming Kibra Constituency by-election, Muluka said.

He also addressed the hustlers versus dynasties narrative.

“There is nothing wrong with dynasties. There are many medical, legal, journalism, sports and many other dynasties in this country. It is not wrong to belong to one. Ruto should not bank on this to lie to Kenyans. He should instead tell Kenyans where he gets the millions of shillings he dishes out to churches and other groups,” Muluka said.

He dismissed as inconsequential Ruto’s visits to the Western region, arguing that it is fully behind Mudavadi’s presidential bid.

“We have put in place measures to ensure Mudavadi wins the presidency in 2022. This is the time Kenyans will see the true Mudavadi, a man who will unleash a financial campaign war chest like never before. Ruto is welcome to Western as a political tourist, but he will get no vote there,” Muluka said.

He also urged Uhuru to do more in the fight against corruption.

“We want to see the corrupt jailed and the money they stole recovered. We have seen people being arrested, buildings on riparian land demolished but no convictions. If Uhuru is afraid of taking the fight against corruption a step further, he should resign and let Mudavadi take over the reins and halt the spiralling public debt.”

Muluka also faulted Uhuru for declaring that the country would no longer commemorate the death of Kenya’s founding President Jomo Kenyatta following last week’s 41-year anniversary. Uhuru said the commemoration would from next year be a family affair.

“Uhuru has no legal backing to make such a declaration. Kenyans have not complained about the commemoration. Countries have different ways of celebrating their heroes. For Jomo, we chose yearly commemoration. Uhuru is wrong to nullify this,” he said.

On the November Kibra parliamentary by-election, Muluka said ANC is prepared to snatch the seat from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). The seat fell vacant following the death of area MP Ken Okoth last month.

“ANC is ready to vanquish Raila and ODM in Kibra. This is just the beginning of an all-out war we have declared against Raila and Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka.

“The only opposition leader now is Musalia. Raila and Kalonzo are political opportunists who have gone to ‘sleep’ with Government, claiming that they are feeling cold being in the opposition. We will demonstrate this when we beat Raila in Kibra,” Muluka said.