Sources say the appointment of Musalia to the post of Prime Cabinet Secretary has locked him out of political activities in western Kenya, leaving Malala to take full control of the Luhya region. The recent tour of the region by President Ruto was a UDA-only affair, where the defection of former Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wamangati and Ken Vitisia from ODM to UDA would ordinarily have been handled by Musalia Mudavadi, but he was nowhere to be seen
The fact that the UDA party Secretary General Cleophas Malala and Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale do not see eye to eye is no longer news, but why? The war between the two broke out during the UDA party nominations for the Kakamega county gubernatorial contest before Dr Khalwale was compelled to step down for Malala by President William Ruto.
Mr. Malala contested under the UDA banner, but he was defeated by Fernandez Barasa of ODM. Senator Bonny Khalwale then took to his Twitter handle to congratulate governor-elect Fernadez Baraza to the chagrin of Malala and his supporters. Mr Malala then started lobbying for a government job but President Ruto had already depleted the post allocated to the Western region under a secret MoU between him, Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula, which meant that there was no job left for him under that arrangement.
Being a shrewd politician, Malala then sold the idea of uniting all the Kenya Kwanza affiliate parties into one strong political formation to the president and his deputy. President Ruto, his DP and their allies quickly approved the idea, and Malala was appointed the UDA Secretary-General tasked with persuading the KK affiliate parties to come together and form one strong united party.
Malala then became increasingly influential to the extent that President Ruto signed an Executive Order that he be allowed to attend cabinet meetings as CS without portfolio to the chagrin of Senator Khalwale, He now enjoys all the perks of being a Cabinet Secretary. Analysts, however, say that President Ruto elevated Mr Malala at the instigation of DP Gachagua whose intent is to checkmate top Luhya leaders and specifically, Musalia Mudavadi.
Sources say the appointment of Musalia to the post of Prime Cabinet Secretary has locked him out of many political activities in western Kenya, leaving Malala to take full control of the Luhya region. The recent tour of the region by President Ruto was a UDA-only affair, where the defection of former Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wamangati and Ken Vitisia from ODM to UDA would ordinarily have been handled by Musalia Mudavadi, but he was nowhere to be seen. The big question is: Why did President Ruto and his DP find it necessary to receive ODM defectors from Mudavadi’s backyards without inviting him to attend the ceremony at the State House, Kakamega?
What options does MM have as far as the 2027 elections are concerned? He will remain in office until a new government is formed. He will not be the party leader of the ANC, which means that he will not have any political influence in the Western region. President Ruto, his DP and Malala will dictate terms.
