Robert Ochoro and Charles Muasya @PeopleDailyKe
Wiper Democratic Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka yesterday claimed his political detractors were behind allegations that he is planning to leave the nascent Opposition coalition Nasa to mount a solo presidential bid.
Kalonzo, who was reacting to reports published in a section of the press yesterday, insisted he is in the National Super Alliance (Nasa) to stay. Addressing the press in Kisii town during a voter registration campaign, he said the claims were part of attempts by his political enemies to frustrate his chances of clinching Nasa’s presidential ticket. “Nasa is not a Jubilee project.
Wiper is not a Mkamba party. I cannot be tied and sold to the highest bidder,” he said, adding that his attendance of Nasa’s first rally in Bomet county at the weekend proved his commitment to Opposition unity.
Kalonzo reiterated he is in the race for Nasa’s flag bearer but would abide by the decision of the National Coordinating Committee which is mandated to pick the presidential candidate.
“If the negotiation team feels that I deserve to be an MCA of Tseikuru or retire from politics, I will accept. For now we have to remain united and fight to defeat Jubilee,” said Kalonzo.
A local newspaper yesterday reported that Kalonzo’s allies were worried that the Wiper leader would bolt out of Nasa to run for president on the party’s ticket, thus weaken the Opposition and hand Wiper the betrayer’s tag.
The report quoted party leaders, among them Kitui Senator David Musila and Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr, warning Kalonzo that he would be on his own if he opted out of Nasa.
“If our party leader decides to run a presidential race on his own outside the Opposition umbrella, he will go that route alone,” Senator Musila was quoted as saying.
The Senator has been at loggerheads with Kalonzo after the latter reportedly advised him to forego his ambitions for Kitui governor seat and run for re-election as senator instead.
Musila has accused Kalonzo of favouring the incumbent Julius Malombe. But Kalonzo has denied playing favourites in the Kitui governor race nor in the contest for any other seat.
Meanwhile, Kitui MCAs have joined the fray with a faction allied to the Senator threatening to campaign against Kalonzo’s presidential bid if he insists on backing Malombe.
Speaking to the press yesterday in Kitui town, the Musila group, led by Mutonguni Ward MCA Mwendwa Kithuka, warned the Wiper leader to stop interfering in Kitui’s politics failure to which they will oppose his presidential bid.
But a group that supports Malombe wants Musila to apologise to Kalonzo for allegedly ridiculing him. Led by Ngomeni MCA Nzungi Ngwele, they accused Musila of disrespecting the party leader.
Kalonzo differed with Musila last month when he announced that he was ready to mediate between the Senator and Governor Malombe with a view to convincing them to seek re-election for their respective seats, a comment which did not go down well with the Senator and his allies who interpreted it as an endorsement of Malombe’s re-election bid.
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