• Muluka said his main duties were to write Mudavadi's biography and reorganise the party. Both are done.
• Mudavadi said Muluka carried himself with decency, dignity and had a deeply ingrained sense of principle.
ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi has praised former secretary general Barrack Muluka's committed and dignified service to the party.
Muluka resigned and quit the party on Wednesday, saying he had completed his mission and had nothing more of value to add to the outfit.
In accepting the resignation, Mudavadi "unreservedly" thanked the party official who had served since 2017.
“On behalf of the ANC fraternity, I want to unreservedly thank Barrack for the committed service he gave the party for nearly three years. His was not an easy responsibility as he served the party through various defining and intractable moments,” he said.
In his letter, Muluka said the space around Musalia should be “decongested”, perhaps telling of competing forces around the former vice president ahead of 2022 poll.
Mudavadi has declared that he will be in the race to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta who is serving his second and last term in office.
“Moreover, it is now fitting that the space around you should be decongested. This will allow you to take critical decisions on the population and leadership of the party under the new constitution,” Muluka said.
He added, “It will also ease your making of personal political choices in the lead up to 2022 election. As part of giving you the necessary latitude, on the orduous political journey ahead, I have now elected to step aside and move on to other horizons.”
Mudavadi sent his statement to newsrooms a few hours after receiving and accepting the resignation of Muluka.
He said Muluka had carried himself with decency, dignity and had a deeply ingrained sense of principle.
“I wish him Godspeed in whatever endeavours he undertakes henceforth and will not hesitate to work with him again should the opportunity present itself,” he added.
Muluka’s stint at the party has not been smooth as his appointment to the influential position was in April 2018 successfully challenged by ANC nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi at the Political Parties Tribunal.
The High Court, however, in April 2019 overturned the findings of the PPT reinstating Muluka as the duly appointed SG.
On Wednesday, Muluka declined to comment on whether his decision to quit is in connection to wrangles in the party. He said the letter was sufficient.
He said his main duties were to write Mudavadi's biography and reorganise the party.
“I am now satisfied that both assignments have been suitably done. The biography was published and launched last year. The party has meanwhile, been successfully wrestled from difficult spaces and placed on a strong footing for growth and expansion across the country. It is now ready in my considered view to compete for political power against other major political parties,” he said.
Muluka who is a communication expert noted that changes to the party constitution, which he oversaw, will give ANC “a good chance for a fresh start and a new lease of life”.
He told the Registrar of Political Parties to strike out his name in the register of ANC, adding that he is now not a member of any party.
“The registrar will also, please note that I do not now belong to any political party or organization,” he said.
(edited by o. owino)