Sources well-versed in Ukambani politics, however, revealed that one of the reasons for the serious fallout between Muthama and Kalonzo was Mr Muthama’s opposition to the nomination of Kalonzo’s son, Kennedy, to the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA), It took the intervention of Ukambani religious leaders and tycoons for a temporary peace deal to prevail
By The Weekly Vision Team
The political feud between Wiper Party boss Kalonzo Musyoka and former Machakos senator Johnson Muthama has reappeared. Mr Muthama, who has kept a low profile on political matters, recently stepped out of his comfort zone and fired political salvos at his former party boss just weeks after Mr Musyoka was “endorsed” by ODM leader Raila Odinga and retired President Uhuru Kenyatta for the presidency in 2027.
In politics, as the saying goes, nothing happens by accident; things are well planned, scripted, and executed to achieve certain political objectives, so the attacks from Muthama seem to have been a reaction following the perceived endorsement of Kalonzo as Azimio’s 2027 presidential flag bearer. Mr Muthama claimed that only Azimio leader Raila Odinga has the political goodwill among Kenyans to challenge President William Ruto in the 2027 elections.
He went on to say that none of the Azimio co-principals possesses the charisma and political strength that can match that of Mr Odinga. According to political analysts, the statement was directed at Kalonzo with a warning that he does not have what it takes to beat William Ruto in 2027. Muthama’s outburst against Kalonzo Musyoka, analysts say, was a well-planned scheme to cause division in Azimio by purporting that Kalonzo Musyoka is a weak candidate and that Raila Odinga stands a better chance in 2027.
The statement was also meant to show that even if Azimio pushes for a Musyoka candidature, the Ukambani region is divided and that he does not command a massive following in the region as perceived. Muthama had been a former key ally of Kalonzo since their heydays in ODM-Kenya before the party was rebranded and named Wiper Party. He was a key financier of Kalonzo’s 2007 presidential election and a member of his kitchen cabinet.
He played a key role in Kalonzo’s appointment as Mwai Kibaki’s vice president during the grand coalition government. In 2013, Muthama was still in Kalonzo’s camp when he was named Raila’s running mate until the 2017 elections.
However, in the run-up to the 2022 elections, Muthama parted ways with Kalonzo and joined Ruto’s UDA, where he was appointed the party’s national chairman. The fallout between Kalonzo and Muthama was noisy and nasty, with Muthama threatening to spill the beans against Kalonzo. He threatened to expose damaging issues around Kalonzo. Sources divulged that Muthama had intelligence information on why and how Kalonzo agreed to become Raila Odinga’s running mate in 2022, what he demanded from Uhuru and Jubilee before he dumped Raila and the position he was promised.
Sources well-versed in Ukambani politics, however, revealed that one of the reasons for the serious fallout between Muthama and Kalonzo was Muthama’s opposition to the nomination of Kalonzo’s son, Kennedy, to the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA), It took the intervention of Ukambani religious leaders and tycoons for a temporary peace deal to prevail.
In 2021, the political wars between the two broke out during the by-election for the Machakos senatorial seat. The Wiper Party nominated Muthama’s ex-wife, Agnes Kavindu, against the wishes of Muthama. At one time, Muthama almost engaged Kalonzo in a fistfight after he made some flattering remarks on Kavindu in the presence of Muthama. The incident occurred during the burial of Bernard Nguyu (Machakos Regional Presiding Bishop of AIC) at Mitaboni in Machakos County.
The gathering had brought together leaders from the Ukambani region, including Kalonzo, Muthama, Kivutha Kibwana (ex-Makueni Governor), Alfred Mutua (ex-Machakos Governor), several MPs, and other leaders.
