Kalonzo convenes Kamba Leaders meeting at his Yatta home

By Correspondent

Wiper Leader Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka has convened a Kamba community Leaders party at his Yatta Farm on Monday December 23, 2019.

The meeting bringing together elected, non elected leaders, opinion leaders, elders as well religious leaders will be a forum where a major political declaration will be made.

 Sources have confirmed the meeting which will start as from 10am to late hours of the evening.

Independent sources have further confirmed that the ongoing debate of Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka joining an alliance with Deputy President William Ruto ahead of 2022 general election will feature during the end year party forum.

Former Machakos Senator Johnson Nduya Muthama who hinted such an alliance was in the offing is among those invited to the meeting and will be among key speakers.

“Sen Muthama is expected to speak and declare Kalonzo a Presidential candidate and urge DP Ruto to back him and be his running mate in 2022”, said the sourcce.

The meeting comes under the backdrop of Kalonzo’s vehement denial of claims that he is in talks with DP William Ruto over a political alliance ahead of the 2022 election.

He said claims by former Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama are meant to ruin his cordial working relationship with President Uhuru Kenyatta. Muthama, in his radio interview on Wednesday, gave the impression he had been given the green-light to announce that a pact was looming. He sparked a nationwide debate after hinting Kalonzo was looking to team up with Ruto.

But Kalonzo said the speculations are malicious and an attempt to drive a wedge between him and Uhuru.

“Remarks by individuals should not be attributed to me. The desperate attempts to drive a wedge between me and the President have failed,” he said.

Muthama’s change of tune caught many Kenyans by surprise. In the lead-up to the 2017 General Election, the abrasive politician never lost an opportunity to attack Ruto as a corrupt politician unfit to lead. For some, however, his remarks were a symptom of what ails Kenyan politics — a dearth of convictions. 

“After the meeting and after we have agreed, we will seek support from other leaders like Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetang’ula and William Ruto,” Muthama said.

Wiper deputy organising secretary Robert Mbui said the party’s communication channels are well known. “The comments made by Senator Muthama were his own personal opinion and are not in any way the position of the party or its leader Kalonzo Musyoka. Wiper party has official communication channels through the office of the secretary-general, the chairman, or the party leader himself,” the Kathiani MP said.

Muthama said they will form a committee to discuss the merits of a coalition with Ruto with a view of Kalonzo moving in as an equal partner.

“Soon and very soon, mark my words: I want to call leaders to create the committee to devise how we can work with Ruto.”

However, their teaming together will not be without conditions. The DP would be required to drop his presidential candidate tag so they can kickstart the talks on an equal pedestal.

“I’ll ask Ruto to tell us who between him and Kalonzo can be president. If he can’t answer that, I’ll tell him to make his committee, which will sit down with us,” Muthama said.

“We will create another committee that will go to Uhuru and ask him if he is with us. If he is, we’ll seek more answers on how he is going to work with Kalonzo.”

The remarks have been read as work-in-progress on what could change the country’s political matrix, and as one which confirms the death of the National Super Alliance (Nasa). Muthama said he has never revealed his preferred candidate to succeed Uhuru in 2022, assertions his critics say amount to double-speak.