Kalonzo Plays Hard To Get For Raila

Any negotiations between ODM party leader Raila Odinga and I should be pegged on the 2017 pre-election agreement that stated he should support me in 2022, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has said.

Kalonzo has accused Raila of playing “dirty” politics by reneging on agreements with his former political partners.

“My brother (Raila) has the option of abiding by the terms of this live binding, legal Agreement and thereby emerging as a true, national, regional and indeed continental Democratic hero or he chooses to act in utter defiance and repudiation of the Agreement, and thereby compound the trust deficit,” said Kalonzo.

“In both cases, he remains a brother with whom, I have labored in absolute good faith, to bring true democratic change to our county. As already publicly expressed, I am ready to work with him again under the Three pillar, Grand Coalition Government, for the sake of our great nation. I urge that as we engage in fresh negotiations this document forms the basis for such negotiation.”

According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Raila and Kalonzo obtained by Business Today, the agreement was signed between the two under the watch of Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana and Professor Makau Mutua. Prof Mutua was recognised as the depository of the agreement and his copy would be final, in case there was a dispute.

The MoU stated that Raila would cede his presidential duties to his deputy (Kalonzo) after three years, in case they won the election in 2017.

“Principal H (Raila Odinga) agrees that after three years in the presidency, he shall delegate substantial national duties to Principal Q (Kalonzo Musyoka) and largely concentrate on international duties. The delegation of substantial national duties to Q by H after three years shall not be made public as part of the signed agreement,” the agreement signed on April 30, 2017 reads.

Kalonzo’s revelations come days after he announced that he was ready to work again with Raila, despite previously declaring that he would be the “most stupid person on earth to support Raila in 2022 without reciprocity.”

“I have been compelled to release the document, in order to answer in part, some of the criticism that has been labelled against me to wit; “The indecisive Kingmaker” and the often-quoted statement made before the NTV Reporter, to the effect that I would be a fool to support Hon. Raila A. Odinga a third time, without a measure of reciprocity,” said Kalonzo.

“In releasing this document, it is imperative to mention that I have tried twice to have Prof. Makau Mutua convene a meeting between me and my brother Hon Raila Odinga in his capacity as the depository of this most important document; On his part, Prof Makau stands in breach of his obligation under the Agreement since he has joined Hon. Raila’s campaign team.”

Kalonzo, currently touted as the Kamba kingpin carrying a basket of over two million votes, has revealed that he refused to attend Raila’s inauguration as the ODM flag-bearer, owing to the “breach of agreement”.

“By accepting the nomination of the Orange Democratic Movement to run as president for the 5th time, I believe my brother Hon Raila Odinga has committed an irreparable material breach of this Agreement – defined as “irreparable material breach” shall mean a repudiation, reneging, a violation or an ouster in any way of any of Articles of Agreement.
Attending the ODM delegates Conference at which my brother was named a presidential candidate would have meant acquiescence of the impugned breach,” added Kalonzo.

Kalonzo first ran for Presidency in 2007, coming a distant third with 879,903 votes behind retired President Mwai Kibaki who got 4,584,721 votes and Raila Odinga (4,352,993 votes). In the disputed election, Kalonzo would later jump ship and join Kibaki’s government, under the promise that he would get government support in the 2013 general election.

However, Kibaki left power silently in 2013, without publicly declaring support for any candidate in an election won by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto.

During the election, Kalonzo was Raila’s running mate under the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) where they garnered 5,340,546 against Uhuru’s 6,173,433.

In the 2017 election that was nullified by the Supreme Court, Kalonzo and Raila under the National Super Alliance got 6,822,812 votes against Uhuru’s 8,223,369.

Currently, Kalonzo is deemed to be the shining star in the One Kenya Alliance (OKA), which brings together Baringo Senator Gideon Moi (Kanu), Martha Karua (NARC Kenya) and Cyrus Jirongo (UDP).

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