Be your own man now, Kivutha Kibwana tells Kalonzo Musyoka

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka (right) with chairman Kivutha Kibwana (centre) after a National Executive Council meeting in Nairobi, on January 10, 2018. Wiper Chairman has urged his party boss to forget about a deal he had entered  into with ODM leader Raila Odinga. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Wiper Chairman Kivutha Kibwana says that the Opposition should gel into a formidable force even without Mr Odinga.
  • It was believed that as part of the deal, which was witnessed by US-based scholar Makau Mutua, Mr Odinga would back Mr Musyoka is his 2022 State House bid.

Wiper Chairman Kivutha Kibwana has urged his party boss, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, to forget about a deal he had entered  into with ODM leader Raila Odinga. 

In a statement in which he analysed the county’s political future following the truce between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr Odinga, Prof Kibwana on Monday said that the Opposition should gel into a formidable force even without Mr Odinga.

“We wish to ask Kalonzo that from now on, he should not have anybody negotiate for him. A handshake can be only between two people. Raila’s handshake is Raila’s handshake. This is said as I express my deepest respect for Raila. But now Kalonzo must define his own political trajectory post-2017,” said Prof Kibwana, who is also Makueni governor. 

NEGOTIATE DEAL

Prof Kibwana, who helped negotiate a deal between Mr Musyoka and Mr Odinga ahead of last year’s general election, expressed misgivings about the future of  National Super alliance (Nasa) following Mr Odinga’s apparent dalliance with the ruling Jubilee Party.

It was believed that as part of the deal, which was witnessed by US-based scholar Makau Mutua, Mr Odinga would back Mr Musyoka is his 2022 State House bid.

“We appreciate that the first handshake did change Kenya’s political environment. It was an act of courage and patriotism. But in my humble view, Kalonzo, Mudavadi and Wetang’ula must define their own future politics without reference to the flagship business of 2017. That period is now closed,” Prof Kibwana said.

VOTING BLOCS

He added that Mr Musyoka should enter into coalitions with other voting blocs in the country and initiate negotiations with President Kenyatta, Deputy President William Ruto “and all other national leaders”.

“Let him do handshakes and heartshakes that will benefit us and Kenya,” he said.

“It is up to Hon Raila Odinga to decide when the time comes whether he will pay his political debt to his 2017 Nasa colleagues. If not, we must still be prepared to move on to victory without hard feelings,”   Prof Kibwana said.