Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi has had a chequered political career. Born on September 16, 1961 into a political family, he entered politics in 1989 when he was elected unopposed, at the age of 29 years, as the MP for Sabatia constituency in Vihiga County following the death of his influential father, Moses Substone Budamba Mudavadi, a close friend of the then President Daniel arap Moi.

Largely considered as a reflective and non-controversial politician, Mudavadi has served in previous governments as a Cabinet minister in various dockets in the governments of Moi and Mwai Kibaki in whose administration he occupied the docket of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Loval Government.

He is the current Party Leader of the Amani National Congress (ANC). He unsuccessfully ran  for the presidency in 2013 on the banner of the United Democratic Forum (UDF) in which race he came third behind incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). 

Mudavadi was the last and shortest serving Vice-President under the Moi regime.

In 2002, he was Uhuru’s running-mate in a poll they lost to Kibaki, with Mudavadi losing his Sabatia parliamentary seat. He declined an offer from his party to be handed the position of Nominated MP, arguing that he needed to respect the will of the people.

He was later to be Raila’s running-mate on an ODM ticket in the 2007 election in which they lost controversially to Kibaki. 

ODM disputed the official results and claimed victory for Odinga, a development that led to violent protests  which eventually led to the signing of a power-sharing agreement between Kibaki and Odinga

Peace accord

Mudavadi was a key member of the team chaired by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, that negotiated a peace accord that led to the signing of the power-sharing pact that gave way for a Grand Coalition Government in which he  was named as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Government 

A reputed respecter and advocate for the rule of law, Christian of the Quakers (Friends) church, which is known for forbidding its members from swearing with a Bible and revered for their honesty, strict adherence to speaking the truth at all times, aversion to war and violence, plain dressing and simple language.

During Moi’s regime, Mudavadi served at various times at Minister for Supplies and Marketing, Agriculture and Transport, Information and Communication.

Mudavadi went to Nairobi School and University of Nairobi where he graduated with a Land Economics degree. A former rugby player and now an avid golfer, he is married to Tessy Mulama with whom they have three children: Maryanne , Moses and Michael.