Moses Wetang’ula’s presidential bid in 2022 is doomed should the Bungoma senator decide to go it alone, ANC has said.
Wetang’ula last week said he was ready to go it alone after his Ford Kenya party endorsed him to run for the presidency.
“I want to mobilise resources towards this quest and I’m confident of clinching the seat. For now, however, I want to spend the remaining period serving the people of Bungoma,” Wetang’ula said.
But ANC secretary general Barrack Muluka yesterday said Wetang’ula is putting himself on a self-destruction path by isolating himself for the 2022 race. “We are not opposed to his bid because he has a right to run for the top seat. However, he would be better off if he joined hands with other Luhya leaders instead of going it alone,” Muluka said.
Political analyst Isaac Wanjekeche said Wetang’ula’s bid will “die on arrival.” He said the senator’s recent announcement was calculated to free him from other Luhya leaders who are pushing for the community’s unity.
Wanjekeche said Wetang’ula was keen on joining Deputy President William Ruto’s camp ahead of 2022.
“It confirms the common understanding that his bid for presidency has always been a mere bargaining chip for personal interests. He has done it twice and later settled on a Senate seat. This is no exception,” Wanjekeche said.
The Ford Kenya deputy party leader on Tuesday claimed Wetang’ula was secretly reaching out to Ruto.
Muluka said Wetang’ula’s decision to run on his own will not affect the Luhya vote. He said the region has always voted in a particular manner regardless of its leaders taking different political paths.
“The people will decide who their leader is. When Peter Kenneth, Martha Karua and Paul Muite were asked by Central Kenya to leave the race but refused, the people of Mt Kenya knew who their leaders were and voted for them almost to a man,” Muluka said.