Former Kakamega Senator and Kenya deputy party leader Boni Khalwale has said National Super Alliance (NASA) principals Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka are dying for President Uhuru Kenyatta to endorse their 2022 presidential ambitions.
The two leaders publicly buried the hatchet with Uhuru who was their main opponent in the 2017 General Election, first with Raila shaking hands with the president On Friday, March 9, with Kalonzo later announcing his Wiper party would directly work with Jubilee administration on Saturday, July 28.
The former senator, speaking during an interview with NTV on Tuesday, November 13, in an interview monitored , said the two leaders were interested in the top seat in 2022 and Uhuru’s endorsement would grant them about 4.5 million new votes from Mt Kenya.
However, he said the Mt Kenya region votes had already been won by Deputy President William Ruto courtesy of his loyalty to Uhuru during the two tenures.
“What Kalonzo is doing and what he said is not different from what Raila said and did at the height of handshake. We were also struggling to ask Raila what he had agreed with Uhuru during handshake and his answers were vague just like former Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama is asking Kalonzo,” said Khalwale.
Kalonzo was categorical on Friday, November 9, during the burial of his father Peter Mairu that he had resolved to be Uhuru’s aly and nobody should question his move or try to break them apart.
Khalwale said Raila and Kalonzo had not explicitly stated their mission but it was an open secret they had warmed up to Uhuru well knowing the vote rich Mt kenya region might not have a presidential candidate in 2022.
“These two have an eye on election of 2022 and are dying for endorsement of Uhuru. They believe their might be no presidential candidate from Mt Kenya in 2022 therefore the endorsement guarantees them 4.5 million votes from region,” Khalwale explained.
According to the former senator, Kalonzo’s decision to tell his people not to question his move because he knew what he wanted shed more light on his intentions just like Raila’s visits to Central Kenya and meeting with Mt Kenya leaders did.
The bullfighter as he is popularly known said other NASA principals, Moses Wetang’ula and Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi, need to open their eyes and court helpful friends if they were serious about contesting for presidency in the next General Election.
“I am afraid the other two principals Wetang’ula and Mudavadi are not smelling the coffee. they need to make new friends. We don’t expect them they will be Uhuru’s right hand men like Raila and Kalonzo had done,” Khalwale said.