Mudavadi hints at new alliance as he seeks top job

The promised earthquake by ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi today is expected to create aftershocks that could herald the formation of a new political coalition.

The Sunday Standard has established that the new alliance will bring closer some opposition leaders to Deputy President William Ruto and further fracture existing formations.

A week ago, Mudavadi promised a bombshell during the ANC National Delegates Conference (NDC) at Bomas of Kenya. Sources say the former Vice President is on his way out of One Kenya Alliance (OKA) and is expected to hint on his new outfit today.

While addressing a rally in Nyamira on Sunday, Mudavadi asked his supporters to be patient and wait for his major announcement.

“Let us not pre-empt what we have discussed as ANC’s leadership. We will give a major declaration that will be like an earthquake to the country’s political scene,” Mudavadi said.

Yesterday, the ANC leader visited the venue of today’s event but declined to give details. He, however, told The Sunday Standard that the announcement will “trigger new political alliances and the collapse of others”.

Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala said they would unveil more than Mudavadi’s presidential bid. “We will unveil many things that are not limited to unveiling our political friends,” said Malala at the Bomas of Kenya.

“As Malala has said before, we insist that you cannot choose our friends for us. Your friends need not be our friends and your enemies need not be our enemies,” said ANC Secretary-General Simon Gikuru.

Some 6,000 delegates have been invited, but organisers expect an estimated 20,000 people. Other sources said Mudavadi will announce his new political journey that will include formation of a political union with a number of politicians and a possible working arrangement with Ruto.

“From that speech, there will be a new direction of politics for his party and supporters. He seems to be exiting OKA and warming up to the DP alongside a number of notable politicians,” said an MP from ANC.

Last Friday, Mudavadi skipped a meeting organised by OKA in Naivasha but said he was engaged in organising for his party’s annual NDC.

A week before, Mudavadi defended Malala over accusations that he had attended a rally in Eldoret hosted by Ruto, insisting that everyone was free to associate with other Kenyans.

During the rally in Eldoret Malala said he will encourage Ruto and Mudavadi to talk and work together for the August 9 elections.

Today, Mudavadi is also expected to address the economy, the public debt, education ‘doldrums’ following the introduction of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).

The source said the speech will talk about constitutionalism, the rule of law and the open political space. “Mudavadi has repeatedly said that each politician should be let free to choose who they want to work with without coercion and manipulations, he will likely indicate that he is in talks with new friends,” said the MP.

On public debt, Mudavadi will question how Jubilee government accumulated a huge debt running into trillions with no commensurate development to show for it. Currently, Kenya has a public debt of Sh7.7 trillion, an increase of Sh1.8 trillion from when President Mwai Kibaki left office in 2013.

Mudavadi is also expected to unveil his party manifesto, which will emphasis need to streamline implementation of CBC.

The ANC party leader will take the opportunity to explain his Pesa mfukoni economic model and the political roadmap to the August 9 elections.

Yesterday, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, through his aide Dennis Kavisu, confirmed that he will attend ANC’s big day.

“Our party leader will be there to grace the NDC of his fellow OKA principal,” said Kavisu.