Wiper’s Kalonzo emerges as new face of Opposition

Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) leader Kalonzo Musyoka is quickly emerging as the new face of Opposition during President William Ruto’s tenure after the Head of State  raided the Azimio La Umoja coalition and poached some of its members into his government.

Kalonzo has resisted calls by Ruto for what he describes as a “broad-based government,” saying it would amount to sanitising a regime which has “blood on its hands.”

Former Prime Minister Azimio leader Raila Odinga yesterday welcomed nomination of his coalition members to Cabinet-including two ODM party leaders.

Kalonzo has also aligned himself with the messages of the Gen-Z revolution protests led by young people calling for accountability in use of public resources, good governance and the rule of law.

Heavy condemnation

The Ruto administration is currently facing heavy condemnation for the killing of over 50 young protesters, police abduction of individuals perceived to be opposed to its policy actions and suppression of journalism.  

Kalonzo has said that being part of the proposed government of national unity will be a betrayal, especially to Gen-Z and millennials.

“We shall not participate in or support the proposed Kenya Kwanza-led broad-based government of national unity. This is a betrayal of the Kenyan people, particularly Gen-Z and millennials, who have paid the ultimate price.

“We reiterate our public position, that when it comes to siding with Gen-Z and the Kenyan people versus the Kenya Kwanza regime, the decision is as obvious as day and night. We will always side and stand with the people of Kenya,” he said in a statement on Friday.

Also walking against the grain is former Defence minister Eugene Wamalwa, Ford Kenya leader Martha Karua, and former governors Mwangi wa Iria (Muranga) and Ndiritu Muriithi (Laikipia) as well as former Ndaragua MP Jeremiah Kioni.

According to Kalonzo, re-organisation of the Cabinet and naming of new office holders will only be cosmetic.

Azimio La Umoja could effectively be crumbling after President Ruto

picked crème de la crème in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), the mother party that birthed Azimio for ministerial positions.

 Among those nominated include ODM deputy party leaders, former Mombasa governor Hassan Joho, former Kakamega counterpart Wycliffe Oparanya, National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi and nominated MP John Mbadi, who is the ODM national chairman.

Second batch

 Joho has been nominated as the CS of Mining and Blue Economy, Oparanya for the Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development (MSME), Mbadi for National Treasury while Wandayi is set to take up the Energy and Petroleum docket.

 Wandayi is the Secretary for political affairs.

This is the second batch of nominees to the cabinet that Ruto has announced, a week after he published the first list.

  The President is hard pressed to put up a cabinet after bowing to pressure mounted by youth protesters who pushed him to fire his entire cabinet over incompetency, arrogance and bad governance.

 Since then, the opposition and the government has been engaging in horse trading as Ruto welcomed them join him in forming a government of national unity.

 On their part, the opposition have downplayed Ruto’s move and denied the likelihood of them joining the ruling Kenya Kwanza in a government set up.

 ODM party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna on Tuesday, warned members from availing themselves for CS positions further deepening the confusion that rocked the party over its intention to join the broad-based government under Ruto.

 “Any ODM member who makes themselves available to join the Kenya Kwanza cabinet or any other position should know that they are doing so without the blessing of the party,” Sifuna statement read in part.

Cabinet slots

 Prior to nomination of the four, there were claims that ODM was set to bag three cabinet slots even as Raila maintained that none of the opposition leaders was desperate to join the Kenya Kwanza administration.

  On Tuesday the party said that it fully supported the ongoing struggle to address the long standing governance issues being raised by the Gen-Z adding that it will continue to stand with the people and fight for justice and reforms that the nation needs.

 Raila could fuel public rage especially among the Gen-Z, his party now appears to be the greatest beneficiary of their protests that has so far killed 50 demonstrators.

And just like Ruto who threw 204 Kenya Kwanza MPs under the bus after voting Yes for the finance bill against the wish of Kenyans only for him to reject it a week after, Odinga has on his part stabbed the backs of influential ODM leaders key among them Siaya Governor James Orengo and Nairobi Senator Sifuna who wanted nothing about Azimio members joining the government.

 It could be payback time for Raila to his political nemesis, President Ruto who has been vocal in campaigning for him for the position of Africa Union Commission chairmanship.