Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka is under pressure to quit the recently formed One Kenya Alliance (OKA) and join Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja movement.
This comes at a time when mistrusts have rocked the One Kenya Alliance that brings together Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya), and Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), barely months to the General Election.
The former vice president has convened a meeting of Ukambani leaders to decide which political direction he should take as the clock ticks towards the August 9 General Election.
“Our meeting will be used to discuss the way forward for the community in regards to the political direction we shall take as we approach the national election,” a group of Ukambani leaders led by Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr announced on Wednesday, January 12.
But it has since emerged that Wiper loyalists are divided on supporting Kalonzo Musyoka’s State House bid.
Apart from a “significant” share of the government, which includes Cabinet Secretaries, ambassadors, and parastatal appointments, Kalonzo’s people have quietly asked Raila’s side to make the position of Deputy President available for Kalonzo Musyoka as part of the August 2022 deal.
A section of leaders drawn from the Ukambani region including Governors Alfred Mutua (Machakos), Charity Ngilu (Kitui), and Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni) have since vowed not to attend the meeting.
The trio has accused the OKA co-principals of failing the community stating that he does not stand a chance of winning the presidential elections alone.
Last year, Kalonzo who has been the running mate for the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in the two last General Elections has on several occasions vowed not to play a second fiddle to anyone.
The push for Kalonzo to join the Azimio la Umoja has emerged due to mistrust among OKA principals.
It is suspected that Mudavadi is planning to bolt out of the coalition after he sensationally claimed that he will be picking hisrunning mate from the vote-rich Mt Kenya region yet none of the OKA principals hauls from the region.
