Amani leader Musalia Mudavadi now turns to MCAs in 2017 strategy

Amani leader Musalia Mudavadi is seeking the support of MCAs for his presidential bid in 2017.

Last weekend, he met 68 MCAs drawn from Western, Nyanza and Rift Valley at Sosa Cottages in Vihiga County, in an attempt to win local support.

In the meeting, the MCAs piled pressure on Mudavadi to guarantee them direct tickets if he wanted them to shift to his new party, Amani National Congress (ANC). Sources say the former DPM pleaded with the MCAs elected on UDF in the last General Election to unconditionally shift to ANC.

Mudavadi vied on UDF ticket in his first presidential bid in 2013 but performed dismally. “Some MCAs accepted to back Mudavadi and they will be shifting to ANC,” said an MCA who was present.

Addressing the Press at his home in Mululu, Mudavadi said he had been silent for a while because he did not believe in politicking at funerals. “Politics is not about making noise in funerals. Leaders should be ready to talk to the people in a more sensible way, as they seek support,” said Mudavadi.

In the weekend’s meeting, Mudavadi revealed that he had been politically stabbed in the back too many times.

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“For too long, we’ve rented our votes to others. It’s time we got a return on our investment,” he said alluding to the perennial problem of Luhyas “topping up” other people’s votes. Sabatia MP Alfred Agoi said Mudavadi’s quest for support to his party would be a stepping stone to his bid in 2017.

“Other parties in the region should join ANC to constitute a united voting bloc,” said Agoi. Mudavadi (right) will hold more consultative meetings at the Coast, where UDF won several elective posts including the gubernatorial seat in Lamu County. There has been claims MCAs in Vihiga, a majority of whom are allied to Mudavadi, are warming up to Governor Moses Akaranga of the Progressive Party of Kenya.