Why vice-presidency has been a jinxed position

Kalonzo Musyoka is only the latest politician for whom the vice-presidency has proved a mixed blessing.

Almost all his predecessors left their positions in unhappy circumstances, cementing the view that the job which is viewed as a path to power in many countries can be a curse in Kenya.

The nation’s first Vice-President’s battles with President Kenyatta proved the defining feature of politics in the early years of independence.

Jaramogi Odinga earned the number two slot for his role in the independence struggle and for his decision to insist on the release of Mr Kenyatta from detention before independence, spurning a chance to take the presidency for himself.

But Mr Odinga and Mr Kenyatta were too different to form a coherent team. One was a socialist who wanted to align Kenya with China and the Soviet Union while the other was inclined towards capitalism and an alliance with the West.

Mr Kenyatta and his ally, Tom Mboya, who shared a pro-American worldview, won the early ideological battles and spent the first decade of independence fighting Mr Odinga.

Escalating tensions with Mr Kenyatta saw Mr Odinga quit government in 1966 to form the Kenya People’s Union.

His successor, the mild-mannered art collector and writer Joseph Murumbi would not last long in his position either.

Mr Murumbi was upset by the acquisitive nature of many in Mr Kenyatta’s Cabinet, the neglect of the freedom fighters whose land was grabbed by many in Mr Kenyatta’s inner circle.

Mr Murumbi resigned in December 1966, only six months after his appointment. His successor Daniel Moi remains the only politician to enter State House straight from the vice presidency.

But Mr Moi had a rough time as Kenyatta’s number two as he faced a concerted campaign by politicians that were determined to block him from succeeding Mr Kenyatta.

Among the petty humiliations he faced was the mounting of General Service Unit roadblocks near his home and routine harassment by the officers.

Mr Moi decided to bid his time and ultimately successfully saw off the “Change the Constitution” brigade which had campaigned to amend the law requiring the VP to ascend to the presidency for a three month period in the event of the president’s death.

Mr Moi did not treat his vice presidents very well after his installation as president in 1978. His first VP, Mwai Kibaki, was kept busy fighting politicians from Central Province sponsored by State House to undermine him.

He was viewed in the Moi State House as insufficiently loyal and a possible threat to the president. After Mr Kibaki survived the 1988 mlolongo (queue voting) elections, President Moi demoted him from the vice presidency and appointed him minister for Health.

What followed was a succession of political newcomers including Josphat Karanja and later George Saitoti who were seen at the time as lightweights that were not likely to directly challenge Mr Moi.

After Mr Moi was re-elected in 1997, the president showed the low regard in which he held the position of VP by leaving it vacant for 14 months.

He ultimately re-appointed Prof Saitoti before replacing him with Musalia Mudavadi, perplexingly after Parliament had been dissolved.

That drew the memorable quip by Ford Kenya leader Michael Wamalwa that “Mr Mudavadi’s appointment after the term of Parliament has expired is analogous to being made school captain after you have completed your course”.

Mr Wamalwa would end up being the first Vice President of the Kibaki administration and perhaps the only VP during Kibaki’s time in power that had the respect of the president and unfettered access to State House.

But ill health meant the man who was widely perceived as the stabilising influence holding the political titans in the government – Mr Raila Odinga and Mr Kibaki together – had a short stay in the vice presidency.

After Mr Wamalwa’s death in August 2003, President Kibaki chose not to appoint one of Narc’s leading politicians to succeed him. The new vice president Moody Awori was seen as a neutral figure who due to his advanced age was not a candidate in the succession race.

But Mr Awori was voted out in the last General Election and Mr Musyoka took over as VP.

Mr Musyoka was the subject of a public dressing down by First Lady Lucy Kibaki last week over his frank discussions with US diplomats is in a particularly tricky position.

As he mentioned in one conversation with ambassador Michael Ranneberger, he hopes President Kibaki and his ally Uhuru Kenyatta will back him in 2012.

If he is to receive that endorsement, he clearly has his work cut out mending relations with some of the key members of the first family.