Is Musalia Mudavadi the next big thing after President Uhuru Kenyatta?
Previously seen as an underdog in the race to the 2022 Presidential elections, Amani National Congress Party leaders Musalia Mudavadi is slowly but surely making inroads in various parts of the country.
The soft spoken former Vice President is now making a name for himself in a territory that can be described as “Unfamiliar”
Musalia has visited Murang’a and Kiambu counties four times in two months and held talks with people close to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Privately he has met several rich and powerful Kikuyu business people in the last three weeks who, according to multiple sources, have pledged to support him in 2022.
Today Mudavadi is expected to host former MPs from Central Kenya to discuss 2022, among other issues.
Expected to lead the team is former Cabinet minister and Mukurweini MP Mutahi Kagwe and his Kandara counterpart Joshua Toro, a former assistant minister.
Last week the group met Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya in a move insiders say is aimed at reaching out to the Luhyas.
The speculation about Mudavadi began on November 3, when President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nyeri declared that his choice of a successor in 2022 will be a “shocker”, a statement that unsettled Deputy President William Ruto’s supporters in the region and in his Rift Valley backyard.
The statement heightened anxiety in Ruto’s camp and some of his allies called it the clearest indication yet that Uhuru may renege on his promise to back Ruto for the country’s top job.
On Saturday November 14, Mudavadi met Jubilee vice chairman and President Kenyatta’s confidant David Murathe for more than seven hours at his (Murathe’s) rural home in Gatanga.
On November 17 Mudavadi attended a church service at PCEA Ruaka where he later issued a press statement in support of President Kenyatta’s war on corruption.
Last weekend Mudavadi was invited by the PCEA national leadership to address their 120-year anniversary celebrations at PCEA Thogoto.
Though the local MP Kimani Ichungwa was present, the PCEA leadership only invited Mudavadi to address to the congregation.
It is generally understood that some politicians and business people are not comfortable with DP Ruto and are looking for alternatives.
“Central Kenya will decide at the appropriate time who to support. For now we are all helping the President realise his legacy. Any one running around the country campaigning is campaigning against his shadow,” Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu said yesterday.
The region, according to Kiambu governor Ferdinand Waititu, is also uncomfortable with ODM leader Raila Odinga taking over from Kenyatta.
“You know 2022 is still far off. We are happy Raila is helping the President run the country but we are not sure if he we can trust him with the presidency,” Waititu said.
Though Mudavadi believes his closest challenger is Ruto, the former Finance Minister is determined to make inroads in Mt Kenya, which would give him a big boost.
Mudavadi has decided to remain alone in the opposition, after his Nasa colleagues declared their support for Kenyatta.