The famous handshake between Raila Odinga and his brother Uhuru Kenyatta benefited two NASA Principals but might also have ended the political careers of two others.
Before the handshake, Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula was the Senate Minority leader, while there were talks of Mudavadi and Kalonzo running on a NASA ticket in 2022.
But while Raila and Kalonzo have reaped big in the aftermath of the handshake, Mudavadi and Wetangula are looking at political oblivion.
Wetangula has since lost his lucrative position in the Senate, and talks to merge ANC and Ford Kenya have developed cold feet.
More worrying for them is that they no longer command influence in Western Kenya. DP Ruto has more foot soldiers in the region than both of them combined. So what next for them?
seven Jubilee MPs from Western on Sunday asked them back Ruto’s presidential bid or retire from politics.
The lawmakers said Mudavadi and Wetang’ula have failed to give direction for the Luhya community. They said Ruto has already been endorsed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opoosition Chief Raila Odinga for presidency in 2022.
The MPs included Mwambu Mabonga (Bumula), Didmus Barasa (Kimilili), Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo), Bernard Shinali (Ikolomani), Dan Wanyama (Webuye), John Walukhe (Sirisia), Charles Gimose (Hamisi) and Malava’s Malulu Injendi.
Mabonga said Luhyas must get rid of Mudavadi and Wetang’ula if the community has to “take its rightful position in national politics.”
“We must organise ourselves as Luhyas if we hope to move forward because Mudavadi and Wetang’ula have failed to give the community political direction,” Mabonga said. He spoke at Malava Primary School during a fundraiser for 14 churches in the subcounty.
The MPs cited Friday’s lunch meeting at the DP’s official residence in Karen where he hosted Uhuru and Raila for lunch. They said the meeting was an endorsement for Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid.
In Malava, the DP was the chief guest at the funds drive.
Barasa said Mudavadi and Wetang’ula lack the political experience and knowledge to run government and should support Ruto for president. “We have no problem with our own becoming president but we know that Ruto’s match to presidency is unstoppable. Those opposing it are wasting their time,” Barasa said.
Wanyama asked Luhyas not to repeat past political mistakes that have left the community in opposition on several occasions. “Mudavadi and Wetang’ula followed Raila blindly. He (Raila) has abandoned them in the wilderness and joined government. We must not make that blunder again,” Wanyama said.
Waluke said Mudavadi and Wetang’ula have lost political direction. “They should stop misleading the Luhya community for personal gains,” Waluke said.
The two have proposed to merge their parties and form a single political vehicle through which to seek the presidency in 2022.
Wangwe said Luhyas must seek different friends for 2022. He said Luhyas have supported Raila’s presidential bid on three occasions and that it was time they abandoned the ODM leader and moved on.
“Luhyas should free themselves from the Raila bondage for them to move forward,” Wangwe said.