Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM-K) leaders have declared that Kalonzo Musyoka will not take an oath as People's Deputy President despite intense pressure from supporters of the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition.
Led by former Minister Titus Mbathi, ex-Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama and Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana, the leaders maintained that Kalonzo should focus on re-structuring the party ahead of the 2022 General Election and avoid taking a 'pointless' oath.
“Why would you be sworn in just for the sake of it and yet you will not bring home any State power that can help your supporters after the event?" Mbathi asked Kalonzo during a meeting held at Stoni Athi Resort in Machakos on Thursday.
Former Senator Muthama noted that he was a co-chair of the committee that planned Raila Odinga's January 30 swearing in at Uhuru Park, questioning why only Kalonzo was being attacked when he also snubbed the event.
He stated: “I, Muthama, was co-chair of the swearing-in planning committee alongside Siaya Senator James Orengo of ODM and Ford Kenya’s Kimilili MP Simiyu Eseli.Why are people bashing my party leader Kalonzo Musyoka alone instead of seeking answers as to why we all stayed away.”
[caption caption="Kalonzo Musyoka with Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana on January 10, 2018"]
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When Kalonzo spoke at an ODM National Governing Council (NGC) meeting on Friday, delegates repeatedly called for him to take the oath, chanting "Biblia! Biblia!(Bible)".
Kalonzo warned the crowd that 'friendly fire kills', noting that in-fighting could lead to the death of the coalition.
It later emerged that ODM delegates had piled pressure on their leader, Raila, to ditch the other NASA-affiliate parties.
Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho told ODM members to focus on party matters and avoid speculating on the other parties' affairs.
Raila reportedly set up a taskforce to audit ODM's relationship with Wiper, ANC and Ford-K following the meeting.
[caption caption="Kalonzo Musyoka with Raila Odinga and Siaya Senator James Orengo"]
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