Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka now says it is time President Uhuru Kenyatta considered forming a government of national unity as a way of healing the country once and for all after a fiercely contested presidential election last year.
Mr Musyoka, who served as President Mwai Kibaki’s Vice-President between 2008 and 2013 under such an arrangement, argues that it is possible to have an inclusive government while at the same time playing the watchdog role.
“We hope every community will feel part of government and this should be actualized in 2019. We would want, in my view, to see a government of national unity going forward,” Mr Musyoka said.
But he said that even as they engage with Mr Kenyatta, none of the Nasa principals was willing to take up a government appointment.
They would, however, suggest to the President names of those from the opposition they would wish appointed, he implied.
“It must, however, be clear that at the level of Raila (Odinga), Musalia (Mudavadi) and I, we will be out of mainstream government until the next elections. I can’t, for instance, see myself going to ask Uhuru to make me a Cabinet secretary, no way.
“The more respected position is to make Raila AU envoy and in my case peace ambassador in South Sudan. That is a role we are ready to play,” he said.
Mr Musyoka said that even as they play these roles abroad, they will still be active politically at home.
“Some think that since Raila will be going around Africa and myself in Juba, now we have no role to play at home. That is far from it.”
Signalling that he, the President and Mr Odinga had agreed on a common position is so far as changing the laws goes, he said a referendum was the only way to address the problem of inclusivity in government.
“Our democracy needs serious reform and the President agrees with me on this. They had said 20 percent of the Constitution needs relooking. This is the time to do so.”
Without naming him, Mr Musyoka also took a swipe at Deputy President William Ruto who is against changing the law before the next General Election.
“You have seen some who vehemently opposed the Constitution in 2010 now in a very tragic manner saying do not touch it. They’re saying leave it as it is because they are enjoying the benefits accruing from it. I find this a very selfish way of looking at it. True nationalists must brace themselves for a referendum,” he said.