How wagering on Musalia and Weta paid off

He will be inaugurated on Tuesday.

It was a long journey and the two former Nasa politicians were heavily criticised for teaming up with Ruto’s UDA under the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

Their former allies, particularly in Western Kenya, rebuked them for choosing Ruto over Raila Odinga and they argued the entire country was going the Azimio way. They were warned they'd be out in the cold.

Nine months after taking the risk, Mudavadi and Wetang’ula are having the last laugh.

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 if it works,” the professor said.

He after taking risk,Mudavadi and Wetang’ula had to work extremely hard to convince the region to rally behind Kenya Kwanza.

They were in the region almost weekly. In one day, they would address as many as six rallies, Anangwe said.

Mudavadi will get the Prime Cabinet Secretary position after President-elect William Ruto assumes power. He is considered and economics expert who can help improve the tattered economy, reduce the cost of living and renegotiate  debt taken on by President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration.

It won't be easy.

Wetang'ula on the other hand has the Speaker of the National Assembly seat reserved for him by Kenya Kwanza.

Apart from their seats, the two were promised 30 per cent stakes in government, including Cabinet, Principal Secretaries, ambassadorial slots and other state jobs.

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.

In late 2002 Mudavadi was the last and shortest-serving vice president under 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.

Political analyst Joseph Mutua concurred that Mudavadi and Wetang’ula had to work extra hard. They had to convince the region the deal they got in Kenya Kenya Kwanza was better than the promises Azimio had made to Western.

“People in Western were hoping Mudavadi would be named running mate. He had to convince people what he got was equally good,” Mutua said.

Ruto also made numerous trips to Western and assured residents he would keep his promises.

Ford Kenya boss Wetang'ula and Mudavadi of ANC parted ways with Raila in June 2021 after they decamped from the now-moribund National Super Alliance, Nasa. They claimed the former Prime Minister had betrayed them.

The two accused ODM, which was among the parties under Nasa of disregarding the agreements signed at its inception in the run-up to the 2017 election.

Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka was also in Nasa and left together with them. The three then formed the One Kenya Alliance together with Kanu chairman Gideon Moi.

Mudavadi and Wetang’ula then ditched the One Kenya Alliance and joined Ruto, while Kalonzo and Moi teamed up with Raila.

Anagwe, the ANC Kakamega branch secretary general,  reiterated that Mudavadi and Wetang'ula weighed all the options, made the move and worked hard to achieve their goals.

“In terms of impact, Western’s contribution to the final tally was significant. The two brought some 630,000 votes. Imagine if these votes were not for Ruto, would he have won?" he asked.

Ruto garnered 7176,141 votes, or 50.49 per cent of the total votes cast, ahead of Raila who got 6,942,930 vote, or 48.85 per cent.

Mudavadi has thanked Western region “for being part of the progressive Kenya Kwanza government.

“Their support and determination as pivotal players in the incoming administration have brought honour and dignity to the region and the country at large,” he said.

Wetang’ula said his team campaigned aggressively in Western to ensure that they delivered.

“I can only say thank you to our supporters for ensuring they voted for Kenya Kwanza,” he said.

Ruto defeated Raila in Bungoma, Wetang'ula's turf, but performed below par in Mudavadi’s Vihiga backyard.

Anangwe added that without the duo on Ruto’s side, things would have been different.

“If you look at the overall performance in Western, Kenya Kwanza had 41 per cent of the votes while Azimio had 53 per cent.

"This showed that the two delivered because since the 2007 elections, Raila Odinga has been getting far much more in Western than what he garnered in 2022,” he said.

Anagwe added that it would be absurd to question whether the two delivered. “You do not move forward looking at the side mirror."

Mudavadi and Wetangu'la had been given a 70 per cent target in the Kenya Kwanza agreement.

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.

Political heavyweights in Bungoma who attempted to topple Wetang’ula from the helm of Ford Kenya in May 2020paid a heavy price.

The politicians, who decamped to the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) after the failed coup, lost their seats to Ford Kenya candidates.

Ford Kenya swept most seats in Bungoma

Wangamati, former legislators Wafula Wamunyinyi (Kanduyi) and Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren) attempted to kick out Wetang’ula from Ford Kenya, saying he was incapable of running the party affairs.

In the run up to the August 9 poll, Wetang’ula backed his former rival, former Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka to recapture the Bungoma governor’s seat on Ford Kenya ticket. Lusaka was overwhelmingly elected.

(Edited by V. Graham)

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