ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi has maintained he will not play second fiddle in next year's presidential election, ambitions of his partners notwithstanding.
The One Kenya Alliance, in which he is a key partner, is yet to pick a flag bearer.
Other partners in OKA — Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper) and Gideon Moi (Kanu) are also eying the presidency, posing a tough challenge for the alliance in picking its 2022 presidential line up. Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang'ula of Ford Kenya is also a OKA member.
Mudavadi has vowed to take a second stab at the presidency, having already been endorsed by his party's top organ, the Amani Council.
Wiper's Kalonzo has also been endorsed by his party for the top seat, and says OKA should consider seniority in the selection of the flag bearer.
Kalonzo is 67 years old, Mudavadi 60, Wetang'ula 64, while Gideon Moi is 57.
Mudavadi and Kalonzo have unsuccessfully bid for the presidency at least once — Kalonzo in 2007 and Mudavadi in 2013.
Mudavadi's affirmation that he is going all the way to the ballot is not recent. It started soon after the 2017 elections.
“I just want to reassure you, my people, that I'm in the field. We shall fight with my competitors up to the year 2022. I will be there, God willing. I'll be in the field in 2022 and there are no two ways about it,” Mudavadi told Kakamega residents in October 2019.
When reached for comment, Mudavadi reiterated that he will be “very much on the ballot” come 2022.
“I am selling my agenda to all Kenyans and that is why you are seeing me visiting various counties to get to understand their respective areas of concern so that we look for solutions together,” he said.
“This time, I am going all the way to the ballot. Watch me,” he added.
His lieutenants have also ruled out the possibility of him playing second fiddle.
“What I want Kenyans to understand moving forward is that Musalia Mudavadi has been endorsed by ANC party as our 2022 presidential flag bearer."
"So, any formation that we will get in now and moving forward, he remains to be our flag bearer. We are not thinking of any other position apart from the top seat. We are going all the way to the ballot,” Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala said.
His remarks were supported by Lurambi MP Titus Khamala, a close ally of the ANC leader.
“Anytime we speak our mind on the new political formations, our political competitors say we are fronting a tribal leader. We want to tell them that we are Kenyans and this time, ANC is a national party.
"Nothing short of Musalia Mudavadi on the ballot in August 2022. Our position as ANC Party is that udavadi will be on the ballot as a the presidential candidate,” Khamala said.
ANC members have also indicated they will not accept anything short of what the party wants.
"We are fronting Mudavadi as the best alternative. Kenyans know his track record. This is a leader who will revive the lost hope. We are not taking chances. The resuscitation of the economy lies in the hands of Musalia,” Simon Gikuru, an ANC life member and a lawyer, said.
Political analyst Joseph Mutua believes Mudavadi will go all the way to the ballot because "several factors appear to favour him".
Mutua says Mudavadi believes he has consolidated his Western Kenya base and, therefore, has the numbers that will convince other OKA partners to support his candidature.
“If he has the numbers in western, then that gives him a head start in OKA. He is likely to talk to Kalonzo and other partners in the alliance to support him,” Mutua said.
The analyst further said Mudavadi believes it is time ODM leader Raila Odinga reciprocates, having received his support in two general elections, 2007 and 2017.
Mutua added that Mudavadi also believes he is is the only one who can stop Deputy President William Ruto.
Mudavadi has also maintained there is no chance he will deputise Ruto.
Mutua said the chances of Mudavadi clinching the seat would be high, if OKA sticks together all the way, besides attracting new partners.
“His chances will significantly rise if ODM joins OKA and rallies behind him. Raila may support him, if his support weakens in Western and Eastern region,” he added.
He however said it would be a three horse race if Raila goes for the seat one more time.
“It will be a three horse race between Raila, Ruto and the OKA candidate. We may have a run-off in this scenario,” he stated.
ANC unveiled a new constitution on August 14, 2020 and declared to members and supporters that it will field a candidate next year.
In 2017, Mudavadi backed Raila's presidential bid under the National Super Alliance for the top seat as teh chief campaigner. He was also Raila's running mate in the 2007 elections on the ODM ticket.
In the 2013 elections, Mudavadi, whose running mate was Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni, only managed 483,981 votes, finishing a distant third behind Uhuru Kenyatta (6, 173, 433) and Raila's ( 5, 340, 546).
He stood on the United Democratic Forum party ticket, Uhuru run on the Jubilee Coalition, while Raila contested on Coalition for Reforms and Democracy.
Mudavadi had just parted ways with Raila and left ODM, declaring that his name must be on the presidential ballot.
Before leaving, he was ODM deputy party leader.
He fell out with the ODM bigwigs after they submitted the party's constitution to the Registrar of Political Parties, creating uncertainty and apprehension among members.
Mudavadi was unhappy that ODM presented compliance documents to the Registrar of Political Parties without first amending the clause that says the party leader will be the automatic presidential flag bearer.
He wanted the rules amended by the National Governing Council and the National Delegates Conference, while Raila's allies argued that the party needed to first apply for registration to beat an April 30, 2013 deadline.
Mudavadi quit UDF in 2015 to concentrate on ANC.
Edited by EKibii
