Jubilee point man doles cash to Wiper MPs, woos Kalonzo

More than a dozen legislators, tens of ward representatives and a few clerics from Ukambani had a bountiful Christmas after Jubilee-linked tycoon Peter Muthoka gifted them with cash at a party at Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s rural home in Machakos County.

MR MONEY BAGS

Every Wiper Democratic Movement Member of Parliament who attended the Christmas Eve get-together at Mr Musyoka’s Yatta farm was given Sh100,000, while MCAs took home Sh50,000.

Also benefiting from the tycoon’s Christmas windfall were religious leaders in attendance including bishops of various denominations who got Sh500,000 each from Ukambani’s new Mr Money Bags.

The flamboyant tycoon, who has been heavily involved in Uhuru Kenyatta’s and Jubilee Party’s election campaigns in 2013 and 2017, landed at the Wiper leader’s farm in his helicopter to declare his full support for Mr Musyoka’s 2022 presidential bid.

Now viewed as Ukambani’s new Mr Money Bags, Muthoka is said to have splashed about Sh5.5 million on the political and religious leaders, announcing his intention to take charge of shaping the destiny of Kamba politics and specifically propelling Mr Musyoka to the top seat.

“I am happy to reconnect with all Kamba leaders after the last election campaigns, where we played on opposite political sides but can now sit together and share a Christmas meal as Kambas,” he said in a speech in which he heavily quoted the Bible.

INVESTOR

The tycoon who hails from Machakos is the founder and Chief Executive of Acceler Global Logistics, one of Kenya’s largest transport and logistics firm, and is said to have invested heavily in other sectors.

Acceler is a global logistics firm with a 22-year experience, offering freight logistics, road transport, warehousing and clearing and forwarding services in partnership with Hellman Global Logistics.

It previously traded as Andy Forwarders but recently rebranded to Acceler.

After addressing the leaders, whom he told he had no political ambitions but sought unity, he handed the cash for MPs and Senators to Kathiani MP Robert Mbui. Bishop Arthur Kitonga of Redeemed Gospel Church took the cash meant for the clergy while the Majority leaders from Kitui, Makueni and Machakos county assemblies were given the share for MCAs.

In his speech, which lasted 37 minutes, Mr Muthoka urged Kambas to cultivate a close political relationship with the Mt Kenya region if they hope to occupy State House in 2022.

FINANCIER

In a subtle but apparent reference to the factions in the Jubilee Party, he said Mr Musyoka had made the right decision to stick with President Kenyatta’s camp in pursuit of his ambitions.

“Kenya’s elective politics is about statistics and finance, not how sweetly you talk to voters. For Kambas to have one of their own ascending to power, we must work closely with our cousins and neighbours,” he said.

The Christmas party was convened a week after former Machakos senator Johnson Muthama, a key player in Wiper politics and a party financier, suggested that Mr Musyoka will join forces with Deputy President William Ruto ahead of the 2022 elections.

Two weeks ago, Mr Muthama accused President Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga of using the Building Bridges Initiative to stifle the career prospects of the DP and Mr Musyoka by avoiding to honour the respective memoranda of understanding they entered into with them.

The surprise attendance by the Jubilee Party financier and the new Mr Money Bags in Ukambani was seen as an answer to Mr Muthama’s push to craft an alliance between Mr Musyoka and Dr Ruto.

CONSULTATIONS 

Mr Musyoka has since disowned Mr Muthama and dismissed his talk about a possible political alliance with the DP as a malicious attempt to drive a wedge between him and President Kenyatta.

Mr Muthama, the self-declared financier of Wiper, was conspicuously absent from the Yatta meeting ­­— which he has never missed over the years — but issued a swift rejoinder criticising Mr Musyoka for failing to provide leadership to Kambas.

The former senator argued that Mr Musyoka was more preoccupied with pleasing President Kenyatta, who had given him a State job, rather than providing leadership to his community and supporters in readiness for next elections.

But Mr Muthoka explained that he agreed to support Mr Musyoka because he believes the Wiper leader is better placed to succeed if he continues working with President Kenyatta, and that his decision was informed by solid research, wide consultations and “expert advice”.

“When Kalonzo Musyoka agreed to join President Kenyatta’s government, we met and I assured him of my full support because that was the best option and pathway into reclaiming our community’s position in the country’s high table,” the tycoon said.

DEFECTIONS

He added that the recently released census data and the current voter statistics should be a wake-up call to Kamba leaders that unless they join hands with others, their hopes will only remain a near-success.

He said he was aware that some people were already envious of his new role in Mr Musyoka’s and Ukambani politics, but said he could not remain in his comfort zone when the community needed direction and strategy.

“Some people are wondering why I am pooling my time, energy and resources and getting involved in politics yet I am a businessman, but I am doing this to serve my community to reclaim its rightful position in the affairs of the country,” he said.

“Just as I helped President Kenyatta get substantial votes in Ukambani in the last elections, the time has come for me to serve my community, not as a politician because I’ve absolutely no political ambitions, but in shaping the destiny of my people,” he said.

In Wiper circles, Mr Muthoka’s entry is being seen as an answer to Mr Muthama’s abrasive and confrontational style of politics, which has been blamed for the countless defections of leaders from the party.

MOBILISE

As a close friend of President Kenyatta, Mr Muthoka’s endorsement of Mr Musyoka also reflects behind-the-scenes efforts by State House to pacify the Kamba community and forestall a possible split of the region’s 1.5 million vote bloc.

Some party insiders who requested anonymity so as to speak freely said Mr Muthama had perfected the art of blackmailing the party leader while telling the public that he finances the party.

Now, Mr Muthoka has promised to use his business connections and finances to push party activities and enable Mr Musyoka negotiate for political deals with other communities.

“I commit my personal resources, and I’ll also approach other businessmen for resource support to ensure we mobilise adequate resources to fund our candidate,” he said.

Addressing the partygoers, Mr Musyoka said: “I want to assure all my supporters that my presidential bid is firmly on course and they are well represented at the country’s political high table, where major decisions about Kenya are being made.”

He urged his supporters to ignore voices that are hellbent on causing confusion among Wiper members. 

LAND CRUISER

During the 2017 presidential elections, Mr Muthoka was at the centre of efforts to mobilise campaign vehicles and merchandise, including branded T-Shirts, posters and banners, for Jubilee candidates across Ukambani.

Each Jubilee parliamentary candidate was assigned a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado branded with Jubilee colours and campaign materials donated by Mr Muthoka.

He told the Yatta meeting that whereas Jubilee managed to win only three of the 22 parliamentary seats, President Kenyatta bagged more votes across the three counties of Kitui, Machakos and Makueni than he did in the 2013 elections.

According to the presidential election results posted on the IEBC public portal, Mr Kenyatta garnered 175,189 votes against National Super Alliance Raila Odinga’s 969,573 votes, which is a 15 per cent share of the votes cast in the region.

NASA PARTNERS

The improvement translated to a seven per cent increase in the votes Mr Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto got in the last presidential contest, where the Jubilee pair garnered 89,064 votes across the region against Cord candidates Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka’s 768,025 votes.

From 89,064 votes in 2013 to 175,189 in 2017, the statistics show that Jubilee significantly doubled their vote numbers in the region that has voted overwhelmingly for the Opposition coalition in the last two general elections.

Mr Muthoka’s foray comes at a time when the Nasa partners have been pulling in different directions, with many believing that the coalition is dead — or on its deathbed.

In the campaigns to the November by-election in Kibra, ODM secretary-general Edwin Sifuna declared that he had Mr Odinga’s blessings to push for the dissolution of the coalition.

FELL OUT

“We now want to formalise it and perform the final rites. Fresh coalitions will emerge from the Kibra election, whatever the result,” he said. Now, Dr Ruto’s faction and the other one allied to President Kenyatta have been vying for the Nasa principals’ attention in the run-up to 2022.

Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetang'ula, who bitterly fell out with Mr Odinga, has not made his stand known, with talk that Dr Ruto is targeting him and the ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi to support his bid for the presidency.