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Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) counterpart Kalonzo Musyoka yesterday told off former Prime Minister Raila Odinga over remarks that he will not endorse any of them for presidency.

The two former Raila allies said they do not require his nod to bolster their 2022 presidential ambition. In a strongly-worded statement, Mudavadi labelled the Raila a ‘liar and dishonest person’ who conducted an illegal swearing-in in order to attract a handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta.

“Raila is free not endorsing whosoever he wishes, including the possibility of excluding himself. But he has no right to deny others their right to demand a political debt owed from him,” stated Mudavadi who once again was crowned a Luhyia elder over the weekend.

“By his statement that he’ll not endorse any of his NASA colleagues because they failed to show up at his illegal swearing-in is unfortunate and reeks of indefensible deceit. It’s not our wish to get into a spat with Raila. However, it’s important that Raila learns to speak the truth,” Mudavadi said in reference to Raila’s remarks that he and Kalonzo abandoned him during his 2018 mock swearing-in.

Political future In Machakos, Kalonzo revealed he deliberately stayed away from Raila’s swearing-in the interest of the country’s peace and to safeguard his future political career.

“I don’t believe in these political debts. I did what I did to make this country bet ter. As a Senior Counsel, how would I have participated in a mock, illegal and unconstitutional oath? I would have disqualified myself,” said Kalonzo, noting that to be a Senior Counsel is what any advocate aspires for.

Addressing faithful during a Sunday service at AIC Kyemutheke Kalonzo revealed that he made it clear to Raila that he would not participate in the oathing and instead recommended that he (Raila) opens dialogue with President Uhuru Kenyatta in order to explore modalities of ending the political turmoil that was sweeping across the country at that time. He also told Raila to stop using his “political attack dogs” to fight him politically.

“If he continues, we’ll expose him. I am telling Kenyans that I don’t need anybody’s endorsement. I only need God to endorse me,” he said. Earlier, Kalonzo attended a church service at AIC Kasinga in Tala, Matungulu constituency where he campaigned for his party’s senatorial candidate, Agnes Kavindu.

In his statement, Mudavadi said that his side would continue reminding Raila of his politics until he forgoes it. “Politics of deceit don’t befit a Kenyan leader. Mr Raila knows what he alleges against his colleagues is exactly what he did to them – lied to them before sneaking to Uhuru Park. In Raila’s own words, he faked a swearing-in to accelerate his yearning for a Handshake with Uhuru, which he got,” he added.

Mutiple swearing-ins If he were capable of honesty, Mudavadi said, Raila would tell Kenyans what drove him to have multiple mock swearing-ins. “Raila knows he duped colleagues into backing him in Nasa in 2017 under the false pretence that, win or lose, he wouldn’t offer himself as a candidate. Perhaps the only cowardice in them is allowing Raila to lie to them.

“But there is more cowardice to pull out of a repeat election, disguised as protest of pre-rigged outcome, when in actual fact it’s only because the act is part of a pre-arranged settlement for yourself,” he added calling on Kenyans to interrogate the ODM leader for what he is capable of doing if he wields absolute power, if he cannot keep a vow with friends.

On Saturday Raila was direct in his remarks even though he did not mention any names, he cautioned that he shall not pay attention to any request by “people who want to extend their political mileage” and that he is not politically indebted to anyone.

Mudavadi’s remarks come after a section of Luhya elders picked him as their preferred candidate next year after he hosted them at his Mululu home in Vihiga County. Former secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Mukhisa Kituyi who also hails from the community has declared intrest in the seat.

Reporting by George Kebaso, Mutuku Mwangangi and Dennis Lumiti