Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi has seen a new political hole..in the lack of an official opposition leader.
Mudavadi is now angling for this position, by trying to offer Kenyans an alternative leadership to the confusing and crowded option that has the Jubilee Government.
It’s not the first time Musalia displaying radicalized political traits…he did it as a student leader in 1982, when Unversity of Nairobi students joined forces to resist the Moi regime.
In the last one month, Mudavadi has played the devil’s advocate, criticizing the Government for its high handedness in effecting a curfew imposed to contain Covid 19.
So what is Musalia”s game plan?
Musalia is not a fool by any standards. Unknown to many, he is an A student, who attended local schools including the prestigious Nairobi School and The University of Nairobi.
This was long before the Parallel education mantra which allows D students to acquire Ph.D.’s. At this vantage position, Musalia knows Jubillee has soldered. And that from the Jubilee ashes, it will be difficult to mold a successor to President Kenyatta.
He knows DP William Ruto’s support among the Central Kenya elite is over, and that this close to 7 million votes will be up for grabs in 2022.
And so by appearing to support Uhuru’s Government while playing the role of an opposition chief, Musalia is placing himself on the market balcony to rule Kenya, and fulfill a long-cherished personal ambition of being the President.
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Where are his chances?
Musalia is considered a safe pair of hands by the Deep State, the reason why the toyed with the idea of endorsing him to succeed Kibaki. Musalia has little political baggage, meaning he cannot be held hostage by any community or persons.
Above all, he is a likable, amiable leader, who enjoys a warm and hearty laugh (Kenyans detest stiff leaders). Challenges Musalia is a practicing Christian.
However, he is accused of spending much of his resources in Western Kenya, a ground he long lost to Raila Odinga. When it matters most, his detractors say he has let his community down.
Political analysts say Musalia is spoiling for a political alliance with DP Ruto, once he parts ways with Uhuru.
This could be as early as the end of the Covid-19 pandemic ends. Since Ruto will possibly be damaged goods, he is hoping that DP Ruto will say Musalia Tosha, and give the Vihiga man an edge over his other rivals.
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DP Ruto will be a much sought after bride after parting with Uhuru because he still controls the Rift valley vote.
Those espousing this school of thought say the DP will adopt the scorched earth policy to get back at Uhuru in the next couple of months, and Musalia seeks to be the beneficiary of this fallout.
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Begging the question: Is the real Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi aka Phantom finally standing up? In Nairobi School where he honed his leadership skills as a ruthless Head of Baringo House, to the University of Nairobi where he led the Mean Machine, Musalia was not your idea of a coward.
But after he was briefly arrested and detained by the then ruthless Nairobi Police Commander Phillip Mule Kilonzo after the 1982 coup, Musalia suddenly lost the fire in his belly.
President Moi then converted the liberal thinker to a KANU loyalist through appointments to the cabinet, including the then graft haven, the Ministry of Finance. Mudavadi has throughout his political life played his politics at or around the apex but never reaching the top.
Too near, yet too far, has been Musalia”s poem in politics. Or has he become the king of political drama? In 2002, he played second fiddle to Uhuru Kenyatta, in 2008, he was Raila’s running mate.
In 2013, he was assumed to be the President Kibaki successor. But he encountered a political force in Uhuruto, that swept him to the political shore.
Then in 2017, Musalia resurrected…through the NASA machine. He loaded the Raila and Kalonzo ticket with new energy levels that genuinely threatened the Jubillee juggernaut.
Has he now loaded his Cesca with the final political bullet or will he manufacture another costly blunder? By Henry Kimoli and Gerald Gekara
