ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi has announced he will vie for the presidentcy in 2022.
Speaking yesterday at Kiria-ini Catholic church in Mathioya, Murang’a county, he insisited he will succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“I came here in 2013 seeking your votes and you nicknamed me ‘Macharia’. I will be coming back soon to ask for your support,” he said.
Mudavadi was attending the funeral service of the late Mzee Luka Macharia, father of Sasini Ltd managing director Stephen Githiga.
ANC national chairman Kelvin Lunani said it will “definitely” front Mudavadi as its presidential candidate.
“I want to confirm that our party will be on the ballot in 2022 and we will be a force to reckon with,” Lunani said.
Two days ago, Mudavadi reiterated that his party will not be leaving NASA and asked his co-principals not to withdraw from the coalition.
His sentiment further complicates relations between him and Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula, who has termed NASA dead, saying his party is ready to decamp from the coalition.
The two leaders previously considered collapsing their parties to form one political outfit with a team led by ANC secretary general Barrack Muluka and Ford Kenya deputy leader Bonny Khalwale.
In his speech yesterday, Mudavadi further asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to target the ‘big fish’ in his fight against corruption.
The ANC leader has said the anti-graft war will only be won if the government targets the masterminds and weeds them out of the system.
He said the President’s legacy will be soiled by the rampant corruption if it is not eradicated.
“The President has to face corruption head-on or his legacy will be compromised,” Mudavadi said.
On his part, Othaya MP Mugambi Gichuki said corruption is hampering development and affecting Kenyans’ lives negatively.
He said the President’s directive to halt any new government project until all the initiated ones are completed is meant to stem corruption.
“The President is trying everything possible to fight corruption even though it will affect Kenyans because classrooms have to be constructed in schools,” Gichuki said.
Area MP Peter Kimari expressed optimism that the war against graft will result in better services and improved lives for Kenyans.
Other leaders who attended the ceremony included former Lamu Governor Issa Timamy, his former Deputy Governor Eric Mugo, Former Mathioya MP Clement Wambugu and former Equity Bank chairman Peter Munga.