Kenya’s politics is based on deals and MOUs that political players pen in order to form a partnership or a coalition.
From Raila Odinga’s corporation with the late President Daniel Moi in 1997 to late President Mwai Kibaki’s MOUs with Odinga in 2002 that brought on board the famous Rainbow Coalition.
This was the same in the run-up to the 2022 general election when Musalia Mudavadi, a man that had been in the political cold for 15 years decided to chat his own political path.
As is the norm, politicians in Kenya create an ambience of expectation on their bases in anticipation of announcing a major statement or move.
In January 2022, the former Vice President Musalia Mudavadi announced to the nation that he was to make an announcement that would send tremors in the political landscape of the country.
He ended up forming a partnership with President William Ruto to the dismay of his friends and foes.
In an interview with NTV, Mudavadi sought to explain what he meant by the Earthquake.
“What exactly did I mean by saying the earthquake will “scatter them, and gather them?” Psalm 55:9 says: “Confuse them, Lord, and frustrate their plans, for I see violence...and from that place, the Lord scattered them over the face of all the earth.”
His dalliance with Ruto would however see him lose a significant number of MPs elected on the Amani National Congress (ANC) ticket to join Azimio la Umoja but was to be vindicated when the Kenya Kwanza Alliance won the election to form the government.
MPs who defected to Azimio from ANC were; Tindi Mwale (Butere), Oscar Nabulindo (Matungu), Bishop Titus Khamala (Lurambi) and Christopher Aseka (Khwisero).
In the interview, former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala revealed that it was only he, Mudavadi and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja who were aware of the partnership.
"The ANC Secretary General (Simon Gikuru) plus the One Kenya Alliance Principals had no idea what we were going to announce at the NDC," he revealed.
This led to Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and KANU party leader Gideon Moi walking out at Bomas terming Mudavadi's alliance as a shift of ideology.
"They panicked, they walked out of government while I walked into the government, Kenya Kwanza is the government of the day," he remarked.
Mudavadi further stated that it was the result of the earthquake that rendered their counterparts in Azimio La Umoja Coalition confused and disoriented.
"The Earthquake frustrated our competitors’ plans and, although they resorted to violence at Bomas, they were at sea as IEBC results and the Supreme Court confirmed our victory," he opined.
"The Goliath that was Azimio is not recognisable anymore, it is “scattered and over the face of all the earth,” he added.
Mudavadi's coalition arrangement was cemented when Malala attended the Kenya Kwanza rally in Eldoret where signs were clear that the ANC was in cahoots with UDA.
“The DP graced my football tournament on December 31 last year. In a bid to reciprocate, I have attended his rally here in Eldoret today. I bring the greetings of my Party leader Musalia Mudavadi," he opined.
"On January 23, ANC will hold its national delegates conference. On that day, we will unveil Musalia Mudavadi as our Presidential Candidate, and we’ll also allow Mudavadi to reach out to DP so that they can work together,” Malala disclosed during his speech at Eldoret.
Kenya Kwanza would form the government in the resultant August 9 election with Mudavadi being appointed as the country's Prime Cabinet Secretary (CS).
