Chirau Ali Mwakwere joins Wiper

Former Cabinet minister Chirau Mwakwere on Thursday joined the Wiper Democratic Movement only days after joining the Orange Democratic Movement.

Mr Mwakwere, who resigned as Kenya’s ambassador to Tanzania last month to contest the Kwale governor’s seat had turned his back on Jubilee administration to join Raila Odinga’s ODM.

But on Thursday, the former minister in the Kibaki administration was received by Wiper party leader and Nasa co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka at the party’s headquarters in Nairobi.

Although he denied having moved to the Orange party, Mr Mwakwere is said to have been forced to switch to Wiper due to discomfort of some officials and members in the local ODM branch following his entry.

Local leaders, especially aspirants for the seat, described him as a latecomer and they were also worried that he would get a direct party ticket.

Some of those opposed to Mr Mwakwere in ODM also said they were unhappy with his previous criticism of the party leader Mr Odinga when they were both in Kibaki’s Cabinet.

A few days before he resigned from government to rejoin politics, Mr Mwakwere held closed door meetings with Mr Odinga and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, ODM party’s deputy leader.

His joining of Wiper has now left the battle for the ODM ticket for the Kwale governor’s race wide open, after Governor Salim Mvurya moved to the Jubilee Party.