Governor Mutua: I am now a co-principal at Kenya Kwanza

Maendeleo Chap Chap party leader Dr. Alfred Mutua now says he is a co-principal in the Deputy President William Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza alliance which he defected to.

Mutua on Monday claimed he had severed ties with the Azimio la Umoja camp because his Maendeleo Chap Chap (MCC) party had been kept in the dark about internal affairs and had yet to access or understand the coalition agreement.

Addressing the press at a Nairobi hotel, the Machakos governor said he sealed the deal on Sunday night, adding that he has copies of the agreement, “unlike in Azimio”.

Just hours after the announcement, the county boss has divulged further details into the deal he inked with DP Ruto, among them being that he is now a Kenya Kwanza co-principal.

“We’ve got the principals and now you come in as a principal. I am now a principal so other principals will be negotiating with us; William Ruto, Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetangula, Justin Muturi and other party leaders,” Mutua told Citizen TV’s Sam Gituku on Tuesday’s Day Break show.

Weighing in on his prospects at his newfound home vis-à-vis Azimio, Mutua claimed that the stakes his party will have in the next government, if Dr. Ruto becomes president in August, is clearly spelled out.

“When we talked with Azimio, they were telling us to wait until we win, then they’ll give us something. In Kenya Kwanza it is very clear what share of government you are getting; how many CSs, ambassador positions, PSs,” he said.

Mutua was, however, coy when pressed on the share his party has in the outfit, saying: “that is our business, wait until the document is published. We are not hiding anything, it’s all about timing.”

“Every coalition has its own deal and I don't want anyone to think that Mutua got more or less than them.”

He at the same time lashed out at his critics who have labeled his move as being self-centered and driven by personal interests.

“Politics is about interests, interests of communities, and respect. We have not moved away from Azimio because we disrespect Raila Odinga, we moved to where we feel our political interests will be catered for,” said Mutua.

According to the governor, he still stands by his principles and the decision was a strategic move to tap into power for the benefit of the electorate.

“Just because you shift positions at this time because everything is dynamic does not mean that you have changed your principles, it means that you are organizing yourself for your people,” he added.