Raila-Mudavadi battle boils over in Kibra by-election
ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi (left) and ODM leader Raila Odinga during campaign rallies in Kibra. PHOTOS | FRANCIS NDERITU AND EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The ANC leader said most of the governors working with Mr Odinga are being investigated by the anti-graft agency and DCI.
- Thus, he said that they hope Mr Odinga will “slow down the investigations”.
- Mr Mudavadi said there is no difference between ODM and Jubilee, adding that both parties have failed the nation.
The battle for the Kibra parliamentary seat has turned nasty with Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC) engaging in a war of words.
During campaigns for ANC candidate Eliud Owalo, who is Mr Odinga’s former aide in Kibra, Mr Mudavadi claimed that the ODM leader was desperate to an extent of courting “corrupt governors” with a promise of protection.
RAILA'S NEW ALLIES
“Several governors were called to Kibra. Most of them who have swindled public funds from county governments and their files are already with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and are now hiding behind the old man (Mr Odinga) to be protected during investigations,” Mr Mudavadi said.
Last week, a handful of governors were in Kibra to campaign for ODM candidate Bernard Imran Okoth. They included Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega), Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga), Alfred Mutua (Machakos), James Ongwae (Kisii), John Nyagarama (Nyamira), Charity Ngilu (Kitui) and Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni).
On Tuesday, ODM released a terse statement mentioning the mega Goldenberg scandal that occurred during the renure of Mr Mudavadi Finance minister.
ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna claimed Mr Mudavadi was “the biggest baggage” Mr Odinga has had to carry since 2002.
“Now that Raila has taken away that support, Musalia needs to be a man,” Mr Sifuna said.
Mr Mudavadi’s outburst, Mr Sifuna said, must be seen in the context of “a jilted lover, a parasite abandoned by its long suffering host.”
He added: “Musalia must chart his own political path and shed the addiction to free manna from the direction and generosity of Raila Odinga. There will be no more salvage missions for political bagasse of the Musalia variety.
FALL OFF
“The process of becoming a man is painful, hence the outbursts, but it is a journey he must now take. He must look himself in the mirror, for his imminent fall to oblivion is his own making.”
Mr Siguna further noted that: “Raila has made it clear that everyone accused of corruption or any other crimes must carry their own cross. Indeed, there are ODM governors in court facing various charges and if Raila were to shield anyone from prosecution he would have started with his own!”
ANC Secretary-General Barrack Muluka did not equally have kind words for ODM.
Mr Muluka revisited the acquisition of the Kisumu molasses plant by Mr Odinga and how the ODM leader “got the Afya House on Tom Mboya Street, Nairobi.”
“What did he do with money he collected from the public towards Molasses plant? What about the maize scandal when he was PM?” Mr Muluka asked.
He also questioned the oil scandal at Triton when he (Mr Odinga) was Energy minister.
“We know a lot about this man. We just spare him. The time to spill the beans is nigh,” said Mr Muluka adding that ODM was getting scared of Mr Mudavadi and ANC.
“They should be concentrating on trying to salvage their diminishing political fortunes. There is no stopping ANC and MaDVD (Mudavadi). The best is yet to come,” he added.
Mr Mudavadi was Mr Odinga’s running mate in the 2007 election and his chief campaigner in the 2017 polls.
