- Mudavadi was heavily criticised for teaming up with President William Ruto’s UDA under the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
- Mudavadi however got it right with his astonishing decision to back Ruto’s presidential bid.
Image: PCS
In the run-up to the 2022 general elections, Musalia Mudavadi took a gamble and the decision saw him make a comeback to the government after 10 years in the cold.
It was a long journey for Mudavadi, who now serves as the Prime Cabinet Secretary—the third most powerful position in the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Mudavadi was heavily criticised for teaming up with President William Ruto’s UDA under the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
His former allies, particularly in Western Kenya, rebuked him for choosing Ruto over Raila Odinga.
They argued the entire country was going the Azimio way and warmed him that he would be out in the cold, again.
Azimio leaders from Western Kenya said Mudavadi has always made the wrong moves in every election and was destined to be in the political cold for another five years for joining Ruto.
Mudavadi, however, got it right with his astonishing decision to back Ruto’s presidential bid.
ANC Kakamega branch secretary general Amukoa Anangwe said the move by Mudavadi and Wetang’ula was “a well-calculated gamble” that paid off.
“In politics as in any other business, there comes a time you take a risk. The higher the risk, the better the benefits,” Anangwe said.
On January 23, Ruto attended the Amani National Congress (ANC’s) National Delegates Congress (NDC), an event that Mudavadi had promised to use to make an ‘earthquake announcement.”
In his address, he announced that together with Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula, they had decided to team up with Ruto.
After Mudavadi and Wetang’ula joined with Ruto, their parties experienced a wave of defections. ANC lost five MPs in Western to Azimio.
Ford Kenya lost a number of MPs and two former governors—Bungoma’s Wycliffe Wangamati and Trans Nzoia’s Patrick Khaemba.
Mudavadi nonetheless had the last laugh.
Ruto appointed him the Prime Cabinet Secretary and his duties include assisting the President and the Deputy President in the coordination and supervision of government ministries and state departments.
In liaison with the ministry responsible for Interior and National Administration, he oversees the implementation of National government policies, programmes and projects.
He also chairs and coordinates the national government legislative agenda across all ministries and state departments in consultation with and for transmission to the Party/Coalition Leaders in Parliament.
Mudavadi also facilitates inter-ministerial coordination of cross-functional initiatives and programmers and coordinates and supervises the technical monitoring and evaluation of government policies, programmes and projects across ministries.
Mudavadi was the last and shortest-serving vice president under former President Daniel Arap Moi.
He was appointed in a failed attempt to bring Western province votes into Kanu’s camp.
When some Kanu politicians decamped to back Mwai Kibaki’s presidential bid, Mudavadi remained in the Independence party.
Mudavadi ran as Uhuru Kenyatta’s running mate but despite the support of President Moi, the ticket was roundly beaten.
Mudavadi also lost his Sabatia parliamentary seat. In the run-up to the 2007 election, he teamed up with ODM leader Raila Odinga in the Pentagon.
He won back the Sabatia MP Seat and progressed to become Deputy Prime Minister until 2012 – the last time he held a public portfolio.
He finished a distant third.
Mudavadi teamed up with Raila in 2017 but lost to former President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy. This time, his gamble paid off.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)