Africa-Press – Kenya. A proposal of a coalition between Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta during the 2013 General Election ran into headwinds after the latter settled for William Ruto as his running mate.
In his Autobiography titled Against All Odds, Kalonzo noted that he was approached by both Kenyatta and Ruto to create a formidable coalition that would take on ODM leader Raila Odinga and ANC party leader, Musalia Mudavadi, who had been fronted by the political leaders allied to Kenya’s third president, Mwai Kibaki.
At the time, Kenyatta and Ruto were facing charges at The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC).
Kalonzo narrated that the initial deal was for him to be the Presidential candidate, Uhuru as his deputy while Ruto would be the Majority Leader in the National Assembly.
He noted that the plans to announce the coalition were curtailed after a single night meeting changed the political landscape.
According to Kalonzo, the night meeting held at his residence involved Uhuru, Ruto and businessman Jimi Wanjigi whereby plans were changed instantaneously.
“On that night, Uhuru and Ruto arrived at my home in the company of Jimmy Wanjigi, a Nairobi businessman and political strategist. Wanjigi is the son of former Kamukunji Member of Parliament and Moi era Cabinet minister, Maina Wanjigi. We walked down to the gazebo where dinner was to be served,” Kalonzo revealed, pointing out that at this point he had noticed something peculiar about the meeting.
The Wiper party leader opined that Uhuru made the revelations when he informed him that he was edged out of the proposed presidential ticket plans.
“I was stunned. I did not know at what point the arrangement we had earlier, of me being on the presidential ticket, had been changed.”
Further, Kalonzo was informed that if he did not take up any other position, Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu would replace him.
“In the end, that is what happened,” Kalonzo stated. Furious at what happened, he made consultations with his allies who began the process of reuniting with ODM leader Raila.
The process has, however, come full circle as both Kalonzo and Kenyatta are currently working together under the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya alliance.
Profile
Kalonzo has had an extensive career that spans more than three decades from the first time he unsuccessfully vied for the Kitui North parliamentary seat in 1983.
Two years later, the politician won the Kitui by-elections at only 32 years of age. In 1986, he was appointed Assistant Minister for Works, Housing and Physical Planning- a position he held until 1988.
At the time, he also served as the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly for five years (1988-1992). Over the years, he has held various positions in government including the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Relations from 1993 to 1998.
He was Minister for Education and Human Resource Development (1998 to 2001), Minister for Tourism and Information (2001-2002), Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation (2003-2004) and Minister for Environment and Natural Resources from 2004 to 2005.
In 2008, he was selected to become the Vice President as well as the Minister for Home Affairs during Mwai Kibaki’s second term.
In 2013, Kalonzo was Odinga’s running mate under the then Coalition for Reforms and Democracy – CORD, before they jointly vied on NASA in 2017. In both elections, the Raila-Kalonzo formation lost to Jubilee’s Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto.
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