The Wiper Party has refuted claims that former Vice President in Mwai Kibaki government, Kalonzo Musyoka, demanded Ksh3 billion in order to join Raila Odinga's Azimio La Umoja.
Speaking at Parliament Buildings on Tuesday, February 15, Makueni Member of Parliament, Daniel Maanzo, stated that the allegations against Kalonzo by governors from the lower Eastern region were false and misleading, all aimed at tainting his otherwise good name.
Maanzo stated that Kalonzo and the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) principals had not made any demands to former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, over a potential coalition pact ahead of the August 9 polls.
The Wiper Legislator stated that speculations were crafted to tarnish the name of the Wiper boss for political mileage.
“The character and conduct of Hon. Kalonzo speaks for itself and is above reproach. He is a man who has no single tangible scandal to his name after being in leadership for almost four decades,” Maanzo stated.
“Many Kenyans acknowledge Kalonzo as the golden standard of leadership in Kenya, being a God-fearing and family man with impeccable values that he aspires to inculcate into the Kenyan system once he assumes the leadership of this country in the August 2022 General Election.”
During a consultative meeting by governors from the Ukambani region on February 13, Machakos Governor, Alfred Mutua, claimed that Kalonzo was demanding Ksh3 billion from Raila before joining Azimio La Umoja.
The leaders, who are backing Raila, stated that the Wiper boss was attempting to auction the community. They argued that they were the first to join Azimio La Umoja and they should be respected by their counterparts in Wiper.
"We are ready to work with whoever is willing to change the lives of Kenyans, but there are some people who have decided to sit on the fence and we know they are bargaining for money. We know they have asked for Ksh3 billion to sell our Kamba community for their own interests," Mutua stated.
The bribery allegations made by the Machakos Governor came barely days after former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo revealed that the OKA principals were in talks with Raila’s Azimio La Umoja and President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party.
At the time, Jirongo stated that OKA was seeking to have one of its principals named the presidential flagbearer should the talks be successful.
“As we are here as OKA, talks are ongoing with the Azimio La Umoja team and we are also talking with the Jubilee Party. We shall talk to them, however, we are not afraid and nobody will bully us.
"When we sit at the negotiation table, we shall push to have the presidential candidate come from OKA,” he stated.
