Wrangles in UDF a wake-up call for Musalia Mudavadi

United Democratic Forum (UDF) is steeped in internal power struggles that expose the shaky ground on which the party leader stands. When Musalia Mudavadi flexed his muscles and purported to fire the party chairman for not kowtowing to him, he did not expect a serious backlash. With a political history characterised by blunders, that was not suprising. The weak trait, perhaps, emanates from the fact that politics for Mudavadi was fortuitous.

The demise of Moses Mudavadi, at a time when Kanu was enamoured of dynastic tendencies, saw the younger Mudavadi picked to succeed his able father. Mudavadi senior was accessible, outgoing and pragmatic. He knew what he wanted and unerringly went for it. However, with the son, it’s different.

While undecided on whether to join the Rainbow Coalition or stick with Kanu in 2002, a two months vice presidency offer made him swim against the tide and end up on the rocks. Joining the Liberal Democratic Party and later Orange Democratic movement (ODM) helped him recapture the Sabatia parliamentary seat and the Deputy Premiership under the coalition government.

The impatience bug which afflicts many politicians assailed him in 2007, compelling him to quit ODM in a huff. Jubilee luminaries took him for a ride and by the time he caught onto the deceit, it was too late. At the risk of sinking, he clung to a docked boat which, providentially was UDF, but it got stranded on a reef in 2013. It has been at the shipwreck yard since then.

Recently, Mudavadi sought to have it repaired for the next sail without the consent of the ‘registered owners’. When the faction that lays claim to UDF presented its case before the registrar of political parties, Mudavadi was not on the list as an official. This betrays another of his weaknesses. It is apparent he rarely appraises himself of party records to keep abreast of changes. Incredibly while still in ODM, he missed a clause in the party constitution that was ostensibly ‘sneaked’ in to contain a rebel angling for a putsch in 2008 .

As party deputy leader, Mudavadi must have been privy to plans to insert the clause into the party’s constitution. After it served its purpose, those with ambitions should have ensured the eventual deletion of the restrictive clause in case things went full circle. The complacency that followed the containment of William Ruto came back to haunt him. How could he, as party supremo, fail to verify the list of UDF officials before it was tendered to the registrar?

Sticking to UDF, a party with tentacles in Jubilee, is an act of desperation. The financiers will not let go. They will run him through circles and come 2017, he will be floundering without a powerful party to give serious challenge to Jubilee and CORD. Intrigues in ODM-K that sired ODM should have made him wiser.

There is no shortage of alternatives for Mudavadi but the pride that makes him hold onto UDF will not allow him to go back to ODM or join either TNA or URP. With Senator Bonny Khalwale switching allegiance to ODM, Soita Shitanda keeping a low profile and Eugene Wamalwa missing in action, New Ford Kenya is as good as kaput. Can it be successfully revived without the risk of being derided as a tribal party ? Moses Wentangula is in charge of Ford Kenya; a definite no go zone for a man who wants to call the shots. That leaves Mudavadi with the option of forming his own political party or buying a fledgling one.

Plans to rebrand UDF were possibly informed by the need to avail the Luhya nation a secure political vehicle for 2017 under the Luhya unity banner. But, uniting Luhya leaders will be a herculean task for anybody attempting it. They have a proclivity for lone ranger tactics. Western MPs have succeeded in making the Luhyas a tattered lot from the constant pulling in different directions. The trick, however, is in finding a common ground and a ‘father’ figure. The Kalenjins almost did it until their self appointed General started antagonising his lieutenants and now faces a mutiny. Are Luhyas likely to see the ‘white smoke’ soon?