THIS announcement was not entirely unexpected. Jubilee and President Uhuru Kenyatta’s forays into Ukambani have forced Kalonzo Musyoka to declare total political war on the ruling coalition.
For starters, this is not the first time the former VP has crossed political swords with Uhuru. He did the same in 2002, when Kanu gave Uhuru the nod to take up its Presidential mantle.
His reasoning then was that he was more senior and should have been nominated.
In 2012, Kalonzo was dragged into Cord by Senator Johnstone Muthama, after it became clear President Kibaki had disowned their MoU.
This time round, the pressure is emanating from his backyard and it is being driven by Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua, rebel Wiper MPs and professionals.
Dr Mutua is seeking to succeed where others have failed and has promised to deliver 300,000 votes to Uhuru's basket.
For this, the Governor will gatecrash his way to the Jubilee high table and stake a Kamba claim there.
Politically however, Mutua is being used as a pawn in a bigger and more complex game.
The real reason for the Kalonzo no-show in Jubilee is said to be Deputy President William Ruto. He has single handedly unveiled a strategy that is projected towards locking Kalonzo out of frontline national politics to smooth his own path to the Uhuru succession after 2017.
The DP’s motive is to create new political networks devoid of Kalonzo.
To achieve this, the DP has influenced the appointment of Kambas to State jobs.
It is these individuals, coalescing around Fred Muteti, CS Cleopa Mailu and lawyer Kioko Kilukumi, among others, who are implementing the DP and Jubilee’s Ukambani agenda.
Mailu and Muteti were once Kalonzo confidants and have an idea or two about the Wiper philosophy.
Kalonzo diehards however say that their man will triumph over the forces of political evil arrayed against him.
One thing is crystal clear: The Kamba Cord vote was a rebellion against the handling of the Kibaki succession. Next year’s poll will be issues-based. The Governors have their own networks that Kalonzo must penetrate. The county governments in Ukambani have created parallel networks independent of Kalonzo. It is these networks that Dr Mutua will gladly auction to Jubilee.
Things are politically hot in Ukambani and Kalonzo and other players are literally sweating. Those who can’t stand the heat had better begin getting out of the 2017 kitchen.