Mudavadi set for UDF endorsement

By Protus Onyango

Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi is expected to be endorsed as the United Democratic Forum (UDF) presidential flag bearer Friday.

This comes after the party on Wednesday, disengaged from the Jubilee Alliance that has Uhuru Kenyatta as its presidential candidate and William Ruto as his running mate.

UDF delegates who are meeting at the Bomas of Kenya are expected to endorse Mudavadi as the party’s presidential flag bearer and name his running mate.

According to Captain Abdi Yare Mohammed, who is organising the delegates’ conference, a total of 2820 delegates from all over the country will attend the meeting.

“We have invited 60 delegates from each county to come and take part in this crucial function. We are very happy that we are now free from Jubilee and we can pursue our own destiny,” Mr Mohammed said.

“He added, “The divorce from Jubilee has made us stronger and re-energised the party. The uncertainties are now over.”

The former Deputy Sergeant at Arms during the Eighth and Ninth parliament, who is vying for the new Garissa township parliamentary seat, is expected to give a keynote address during the conference on behalf of the North Eastern region.

But political analysts say the endorsement does not save Mudavadi’s face.

Political mistakes

Prof Igara Kabaji of the Masinde Muliro University says Musalia is a poor political student.

“Musalia cuts an extremely pathetic figure that elists sympathy. He is so trusting and seemingly cannot learn lessons on political intrigues, deceit and lies,” Mr Kabaji said.

He says Musalia easily throws away self-preservation and makes easy political mistakes.

“He has been used to getting things go his way easily and now thinks it is his right and entitlement. When he won the Sabatia seat after the death of his father, he thought everything would go his way. The political landscape is never like that,” Mr Kabaji said.

Mr Kabaji says Musalia has premised his presidential bid on luck by being endorsed by others.

“When William Ruto realised that Moi was no longer usefully to him politically he left him. Musalia has never taken a break from the past. If a chick is unable to break the shell of its egg to hatch, it dies. That is Musalia,” Mr Kabaji said.

He blames those around him for misleading him for their selfish interests.

“When he left ODM, Musalia said he favours democratic nominations. It is the height of illogicality that now he opposed the same in Jubilee and just wants endorsement, not competition,” Mr Kabaji said.

Prof Macharia Munene who teaches History at the United States International University says Musalia is naïve and ever makes poor political judgments.

“Musalia is being duped all the time. His political calculations are always wrong and this is an admission of his weaknesses. He just jumps into the bandwagon and follows the stream,” Mr Macharia said.

He added, “He could have understood earlier that Uhuru and Ruto could not leave the presidency for him. I blame him and his advisors.”

Lacks charisma

Charles Kanjama, a Nairobi based lawyer says Musalia lacks the charisma to pool crowds and always waits for circumstances to favour him.

“He lacks the skills of a grassroots mobiliser and depends on people around him to nurture him and lacks personal force to make it on his own. He always waits for an opportunity to be the compromise candidate. His lack of courage is his greatest undoing,” Mr Kanjama said.

He added, “He is like President Mwai Kibaki who was nurtured by other politicians to move out of KANU. It is the late Njenga Karume who registered the Democratic Party (DP) and welcomed Kibaki and funded him until he became the President.”