Which way Kalonzo? Talks underway to have Wiper boss back in Azimio

Two days after a protest walkout from the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition for missing out the running mate position and launching his presidential bid, Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka may be making a comeback into the alliance.

Reportedly since existing Azimio, Kalonzo has held series of meetings with some figures from the coalition party’s leadership.

The Wiper leader has reportedly demanded that the Chief Cabinet Secretary position be included in the Azimio coalition agreement as a guarantee that the position is preserved for him.

Supposedly, Kalonzo’s argument is that the position equivalent to Prime Minister is not within the current executive structure.

And to cure the trust deficit he harbors, Kalonzo is demanding the inclusion of the position in the agreement.

It has been a ping pong that has seen the Wiper leader shift goal posts several times. The latest move ending in Kalonzo declaring that he will run for president, only for reports to emerge of talks to reverse this.

KANU Chairman Gideon Moi is said to be at the centre of the shuttle diplomacy between Kalonzo and the Azimio leadership.

Kalonzo has in recent months engaged in a series of political manouvres that have created both friction and confusion in his circles.

It began with the acrimonious winding up of the National Super Alliance (NASA) amid claims of being shortchanged financially and politically by his partners, the Raila Odinga-led Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.

Kalonzo then proceeded to spearhead the formation of the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) in March of 2021; this after he termed the NASA union an abusive marriage, promising never to work with Odinga and ODM.

But in March 2022, the Wiper party leader joined hands with his estranged partner, ODM party and its leader Raila Odinga in Azimio la Umoja but after a protracted hesitation. President Uhuru Kenyatta is said to have played a pivotal role in roping Kalonzo into the Azimio ranks.

Immediately after the Raila tosha declaration, Kalonzo would throw another spanner in the works, demanding for the change of the coalition name to Azimio la Umoja One Kenya alliance.

Weary partners gave in and the coalition name was registered on April 1 to reflect Kalonzo’s new demands.

Having tasted political blood, Kalonzo opened a new battle front with an all-or-nothing demand for the running mate position.

Kalonzo said he deserved the position claiming he had yet again downgraded his presidential ambition.

He then raised the bar questioning why Odinga could not flip the ticket and let him be the presidential flagbearer.

That marked the beginning of a drawn-out stand-off over the running mate position with Kalonzo running an open campaign with rallies in his Ukambani base.

Then came the establishment of a panel of eminent persons to vet Odinga’s running mate hopefuls, a panel initially rejected by Kalonzo; but the Wiper leader begrudgingly attended the interviews.

For now it is yet again decision time for the country’s former Vice President, a man whose unpredictable moves are spinning the heads of political observers.