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Musalia Mudavadi

DATE OF BIRTH


September 21, 1960

GENDER


Male

OCCUPATION


Politician, Land economist

FAMILY


Married to Tessy Musalia with three children

BIOGRAPHY


Education: Early learning at Nairobi Primary School, then Jamhuri and Nairobi School for his A-levels before proceeding to the University of Nairobi for his Bachelor of Arts (Land Economics) degree.

Political career: Mr Mudavadi, who is Kenya’s 7th Vice President (VP), was first elected an MP in 1989 after the death of his father, Mr Moses Mudavadi. He was elected uno

pposed in Sabatia constituency and went on to be re-elected in 1992, 1997, and 2007.

Soon after, he was appointed Minister of Supplies and Marketing until 1992 when he was elevated to Ministry of Finance between 1993 and 1997. He has also served as Minister for Agriculture, and Transport and Communication between 2001 and 2002 when he was appointed to the office of VP.

He served three months in the office of the Vice President, the shortest sting in Kenyan history.

He was appointed VP in October 2002 to replace the late George Saitoti, who Moi had sacked in a succession war after he chose Mr Uhuru Kenyatta as his successor. Mr Mudavadi was Mr Kenyatta's running mate in the 2002 general election. He ended up losing that bid as well as his Sabatia Parliamentary seat.

Mr Mudavadi made a come back in 2005 during the campaigns for the new Constitution. He joined the NO camp that was opposed to the draft that the Kibaki government had proposed. The camp emerged winners of the referendum. In the 2007 presidential election, Mr Mudavadi was Mr Odinga’s running mate, but again they lost to late former President Mwai Kibaki. 

He was a member of the national reconciliation team that negotiated for peace after the bloody events of the 2007/08 post-election violence and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local government in the Grand coalition government of 2008/13.

He defected from ODM to his United Democratic Forum (UDF) through which he contested the 2013 presidential race, coming third. 

He severed ties with UDF to form Amani National Congress (ANC) in 2015. ANC was part of the five political parties that merged in 2017 to form the National Super Alliance (Nasa) which fronted Mr Raila Odinga as its presidential candidate. Nasa lost to Jubilee in the election held on August 8, 2017 but the Supreme Court nullified the outcome due to irregularities.

In January 2022, he joined hands with DP William Ruto to form the Kenya Kwanza Alliance ahead of the 2022 general elections.


Latest articles on Musalia Mudavadi:

  1. PREMIUM Hidden cards in Ruto Cabinet shake-up

    Having Raila, Uhuru and Kenya Kwanza partner parties by his side, Dr Ruto seems intent to run away from the risk of relying on one politician.

    William Ruto
  2. Easier passport access for job seekers abroad

    Over 65,000 passports remain uncollected.

    EAC-Kenya Passport
  3. The cut stops here: Mt Elgon's bold stand against FGM

    The elders' revolution against FGM: Sabaot council joins growing movement of traditional leaders protecting Kenya's daughters.

  4. PREMIUM Chapter 3: Goldenberg’s network of sleaze

    Pattni's powerful network in Nairobi shielded him from prosecution, facilitating the Goldenberg scandal through bribery and political influence.

    DNPATTNI2207
  5. No more negotiating with rapists, says governor

    Initiative involves safe spaces, empowerment, and community collaboration to achieve zero GBV prevalence.

  6. PREMIUM Courting disaster: How dysfunctional IEBC is a ticking time bomb

    The polls body cannot supervise or conduct elections, carry out delimitation of constituencies and wards and cannot conduct continuous registration of voters.

  7. Ruto: State not in competition with church

    President Ruto has urged the church to forge a unity of purpose with his administration.

    William Ruto
  8. PREMIUM Karua in Uganda for Kizza Besigye's military trial

    Ms Karua says she is yet to receive a temporary practicing certificate from the Uganda Law Council.

    Martha Karua Kizza Besigye inset photo
  9. PREMIUM Kenya hopes Besigye incident doesn’t sully ties in Uganda

    Ugandan opposition leader was hounded out of Nairobi and court-martialed on charges of carrying an illegal gun.

    Kizza Besigye
  10. Western leaders to Ruto: Appoint Mudavadi as Interior CS

    They say the Prime Cabinet Secretary is the ideal choice to replace Prof Kithure Kindiki, who was elevated to Deputy President.

    William Ruto, Musalia Mudavadi
  11. PREMIUM Why Kindiki will be treading on eggshells

    Having witnessed first-hand what happened to his predecessor, the new DP will have leant to speak softly.

    Kithure Kindiki
  12. PREMIUM DP Kindiki: The new sheriff in town

    DP Kindiki will be more subtle than the impeached Gachagua in how he moves to cement his position in the Ruto administration.

    William Ruto and Kithure Kindiki
  13. How gazette notices flew around in night of unusual efficiency

    Not even absence of President Ruto could slow the evening and night activities.

    gazette notices kindiki swearing-in
  14. Kindiki to be sworn in as DP, Mudavadi named Acting Interior CS

    This comes hours after the High Court lifted an order blocking his ascension to DP.

    Musalia Mudavadi and Pof Kithure Kindiki
  15. State: Sh2bn needed to evacuate Kenyans stranded in Lebanon

    More than 24,000 Kenyans are stuck in Lebanon but only about 7,200 are willing to return home -- PS.

    Beirut Lebanon explosion
  16. PREMIUM Mudavadi, Waiguru, Kang'ata miss out on DP job

    Many politicians saw this as their moment to ascend to the second-highest office in the land.

    Nation inside - 2024-10-19T071110.187
  17. PREMIUM The battle to deputise Ruto shaping up to a 3-horse race

    Prof Kindiki’s bid has been strengthened by the recent opinion polls by Infotrak and Tifa.

    Kithure Kindiki
  18. PREMIUM Two-horse race? Why Kindiki, Mudavadi are favourites for deputy president

    Prof Kindiki’s candidacy appears to have been buttressed by the recent opinion polls by two leading pollsters – Infotrak and Tifa, which have put him ahead of the pack.

     Kithure Kindiki
  19. PREMIUM The shortlist of possible Gachagua successors

    Like in 2022, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki is seen to be ahead of the pack.

  20. PREMIUM Wamalwa Kijana: Tom & Jerry, eloquence and wit

    With his mastery of the Queen's English, Wamalwa could both captivate and disarm.

    Kijana Wamalwa