ODM denies Kalonzo's claim of secret 2022 pact with Raila

Politician Raila Odinga’s party has vehemently denied claims of a secret pact come the 2022 General Election, between him and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka.

Mr Musyoka, in an exclusive interview with the Nation, sensationally claimed he had a secret pact with Mr Odinga on how to work together ahead of that election.

He said the deal was separate from the 2017 agreement of the National Super Alliance (Nasa) which brought him together with Mr Odinga (Orange Democratic Movement), Moses Wetang’ula (Ford-Kenya), Musalia Mudavadi (Amani National Congress) and Isaac Ruto (Chama Cha Mashinani).

In a terse statement on Sunday, however, ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna accused Mr Musyoka of seeking to “reap where he did not sow".

“KATI KATI POLITICS”

Mr Sifuna said the claims were typical of Mr Kalonzo's character and "a continuation of his “kati kati (in the middle)” brand of politics.

“We know that Kalonzo tried to push Raila to commit to support him in 2022 as part of the Nasa pact and as a party, we flatly rejected that demand," he said.

Mr Sifuna said the coalition agreement allowed support for any of the partners in case of a renewal in 2022.

“The so-called deal therefore only exists in Kalonzo's wild dreams,” Mr Sifuna said.

NASA’S DEATH

Mr Sifuna further spoke of disloyalty within Nasa, saying it was the reason ODM decided to move on.

He said the coalition became untenable after Mr Musyoka, Mr Wetang’ula and Mr Mudavadi, “in their usual cowardice, skipped the swearing-in of its presidential candidate despite having committed to be present”.

Mr Sifuna also claimed that ODM singly financed the secretariat and paid staff salaries "because Wiper and all the other Nasa parties refused to submit the Sh10,000 monthly payment of their elected leaders to finance the Secretariat".

He said that this move made it clear to ODM that "we were dealing with very dishonest cowards who could not be depended on to put up a fight".

“They alone are responsible for the death of Nasa,” added Mr Sifuna.

Mr Musyoka, Mr Wetang’ula and Mr Mudavadi skipped Mr Odinga’s January 30, 2018 mock swearing-in as the people's president, creating a rift between them and Mr Odinga.

On March 9, 2018, the ODM leader shocked the nation when he announced that he and President Uhuru Kenyatta had reached an agreement, dubbed the handshake, focused on national healing, reconciliation and development.

"THREATENED"

Mr Musyoka once said that his party was ready to strike a deal with the ruling Jubilee ahead of the next election.

Regarding this possibility, Mr Sifuna said the politician felt threatened by Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, Makueni's Kivutha Kibwana and Machakos' Alfred Mutua.

"As a party, we have moved on and are not planning our politics around Kalonzo," he said.

Politicians have been making plans and crafting coalitions in preparation for the next election that will decide President Kenyatta's successor.

Amid the division that his has caused, Mr Mudavadi and Mr Musyoka in November fielded candidates in the Kibra parliamentary by-election against the wishes of Mr Odinga and his ODM party, straining their relationship further.

Mr Mudavadi, Mr Kibwana and Deputy President William Ruto are among politicians eyeing the presidency.