Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, ODM leader Raila Odinga and Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka at the burial of former Kibwezi MP Kalembe Ndile in Mbui Nzau, Makueni County, on June 11, 2021.
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Raila, Kalonzo vow to revive Nasa ahead of 2022 election
What you need to know:
- Mr Musyoka has since been crafting a new political home, the One Kenya Alliance.
- Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka were a big sensation when they flew into the funeral of former Kibwezi MP Kalembe Ndile.
ODM party leader Raila Odinga and Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka yesterday indicated that they will work together and revive the Nasa coalition ahead of next year's general election.
The veteran politicians have been pulling in different directions after Mr Odinga’s handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018, following the disputed 2017 polls.
Mr Musyoka has since been crafting a new political home, the One Kenya Alliance, which includes ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, Ford-Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula and Kanu’s Gideon Moi.
But on Friday, Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka were a big sensation when they flew into the funeral of former Kibwezi MP Kalembe Ndile at Mbui Nzau village in Makueni County.
"There is no way we can disagree with Kalonzo. We shall work together to defeat pretenders eyeing the country's top seat," said Mr Odinga.
The former Prime Minister, who spoke before Mr Musyoka, was reacting to a call by Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu who directly implored on the two leaders to unite.
She said that the two would lose the 2022 presidential elections to Deputy President William Ruto in the race for the country's top seat if they continued pulling in different directions and offered to mediate talks between them.
Mr Musyoka welcomed Ms Ngilu's suggestion saying he had not severed ties with Mr Odinga.
"We are still working on something and soon the outcome will be known. We of course have Nasa because the principals have not disbanded it," he said dismissing an earlier declaration by a section of ODM MPs that the coalition had died.
One Kenya Alliance
"Similarly, we are working on One Kenya Alliance coalition. We have on our side brother Raila with whom we have worked with for many years," he said.
During an interview with NTV last year, Mr Odinga said Nasa was not a political party as largely perceived but was only a pre-political outfit.
"If the pre-election coalition wins, they form a government and share. If they don't, the coalition dies automatically ...There is nothing else ...Nasa did not form the government," said Odinga.
On Saturday, he took a swipe at unidentified civil servants he accused of using their offices to enrich themselves and build political capital.
Mr Ndile succumbed to a liver complications while receiving treatment at Nairobi Hospital a week ago.
The funeral ceremony, which was attended by hundreds of mourners saw authorities bend Covid-19 regulations protocols to accommodate the mourners.
Regional politics also took centre stage at the funeral ceremony.
Machakos Govenor Alfred Mutua, his Makueni counterpart Kivutha Kibwana and Ms Ngilu challenged Mr Musyoka to take advantage of his proximity to President Kenyatta to ensure that Ukambani got more development projects "the way Mr Odinga has done for his region".
Upholding constitutionalism
But in a quick rejoinder, Mr Musyoka told the three governors to utilise the money their counties get from the National government prudently to develop the region.
Mr Ndile cut his teeth in activism during President Daniel Moi's administration where he agitated for land rights for squatters.
This saw him elected as a councillor in 1997 and MP in 2002. Mourners eulogised him as a selfless man of the people.
Meanwhile, Mr Odinga has dismissed former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga for questioning President Uhuru Kenyatta’s decision to reject six judges nominated by the Judicial Service Commission.
Mr Odinga said Dr Mutunga lacks the moral authority to lecture anyone on upholding constitutionalism after his controversial ruling on the 2013 presidential election petition.
He reminded the former president of the Supreme Court that he affirmed that Mr Kenyatta, whom he was now bashing through an open letter, was validly elected by dismissing the election petition filed by the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) on flimsy grounds.
In an open letter earlier this week, Dr Mutunga asked President Kenyatta to rescind his decision that barred the recent appointment of six judges.
Dr Mutunga said that the Presidents’ objection to the six judges’ nomination was driven by personal resentment and not principle.
