Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali has revealed intricate details regarding the power-sharing deal between United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Amani National Congress (ANC).
Speaking on Sunday, January 30, the legislator noted that Deputy President William Ruto's UDA brand would get the Gubernatorial slot in Kakamega County.
He further revealed that Musalia Mudavadi's ANC would get the Senatorial seat - in what he termed as the deal that had been finalised by the new outfit dubbed Kenya Kwanza.
According to Washiali, former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale would get the Gubernatorial ticket while ANC's Cleophas Malala would get the Senatorial seat.
He also warned the media to stop propagating speculations that were not factual about the power-sharing deal.
The Nation had on Saturday, January 29, reported that the power-sharing deal had resulted in an arrangement where UDA would get the Senate seat while Mudavadi's party would pick a governor.
UDA, in a statement, did not expressly deny the report but termed them journalistic assumptions which it discouraged until the document is made public at the appropriate time.
However, Washiali encouraged journalists to report the truth which he indicated that UDA would pick the next Kakamega Governor while ANC took the Senate seat. His statement, supported by Khalwale suggested there might be internal conflicts on the seat-sharing among the partner parties.
Washiali also pointed out that after his decision to quit politics, he was requested to seek the Kakamega Senatorial position- a deal that he stated, both Mudavadi and Ruto rejected.
"And some people asked me to go and be senator while Khalwale is governor. Mudavadi and Ruto disagreed with that point. I came later on and found out that they also wanted ANC to get a position in Kakamega and a seat from the ANC-UDA union," he stated
"Our Gubernatorial candidate in Kenya kwanza Alliance for Governor position of Kakamega is from UDA party and the Senator from ANC party. All other positions are open to any party. The media should stop speculations and get that clear," he added.
Reports had indicated that the new deal involving Mudavadi, FORD-Kenya's Moses Wetangula and Ruto would see the latter get the Presidential seat. Mudavadi would get the position of Chief Minister while Moses Wetangula would be allocated two Cabinet Secretary positions.
They also indicated that ANC would field Gubernatorial candidates in Nairobi, Kakamega, and Vihiga while UDA or FORD-Kenya would not field any candidates within the stipulated counties.
Further, Wetangula would get a free pass in the Bungoma Senatorial seat nominations phase and his party would choose Gubernatorial seats in both Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties.
However, UDA's Secretary-General Veronica Maina termed the power-sharing reports as mere speculations and not factual.
“The details of the cooperation between UDA, ANC and Ford Kenya, and any other political party, if at all, will be formally unveiled by the principals at an appropriate time,” she stated.
