Chances of ODM party leader Raila Odinga to succeed retiring president Uhuru Kenyatta are narrowing after three NASA principals on Wednesday commenced plans to break away from him and work on their own ahead of the 2022 General Election.
The trio, Musalia Mudavadi of ANC, Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper party), and Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya) on June 23, held a meeting, where it is believed they explored possibilities of dissolving once most powerful alliance (NASA).
Although Raila did not attend the meeting, ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi said they met as NASA principals not and as One Kenya Alliance, in what appeared like a rebellion against Raila.
“We have not talked about fielding a candidate under the coalition. We have not talked about candidacy for 2022 but the status of NASA and whether it will survive,” Musalia Mudavadi said.
Although the three have not made it clear whether they plan to break away from ODM leader Raila Odinga, analysts speculate that there is a conspiracy to separate from Raila ahead of the next General Election.
NASA affiliates which brought together ODM, Wiper, ANC and Ford Kenya worked together in the 2017 General Election but has since been rocked with divisions after the other three accused the ODM party of mistrust.
This was revealed after Raila’s political outfit recently commenced talks to merge with ruling Jubilee and field one presidential candidate ahead of the 2022 presidential election.
ODM party chair John Mbadi yesterday extended an olive branch to other NASA principals saying that Raila Odinga cannot win the presidency without their support.
“We cannot underestimate the support other NASA principals have. We have to incorporate them in our team,” John Mbadi.
Mbadi’s call comes just days after Musalia Mudavadi and Kalonzo Musyoka maintained that they won’t shelve their presidential ambitions in favor of Raila Odinga again.
“I am not a weakling… Raila and I have never sat to discuss 2022. I will be the most stupid person on earth to support Raila Odinga for president for the third time without a measure of reciprocity,” Kalonzo Musyoka said.
However, while welcoming Mbadi’s call, the leaders maintained their stand that they will only work with Raila in the 2022 General Election if he is ready to shelve his presidential ambitions in favor of any other NASA principal.
