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With the clock fast ticking towards next year’s elections, the Kenyatta family finds itself at crossroads with members backing different presidential aspirants. The split on the choice of the aspirant to back has seen the family members avoid each other as each seeks a candidate who will protect their vast economic interests across Kenya, Africa and overseas. Reliable sources revealed that the highly respected matron Mama Ngina Kenyatta is pushing for Gideon Moi to be backed by the family for presidency in 2022. On the other hand, her son Muhoho Kenyatta who is credited with the expansion and diversification of the family’s business, is rooting for Musalia Mudavadi. Her brother George Muhoho is said to be fronting Raila Odinga. The three are all advisers of Uhuru Kenyatta which complicates matters for Uhuru. Sources say the Gideon factor is becoming complex to the Kenyatta family to an extent Uhuru who has been told the Baringo senator cannot win presidency wants Building Bridges Initiative Bill passed to have Gideon benefit from power sharing and so be at the centre of power. Those pushing for Gideon, if well repackaged together with Kanu rebranded, Gideon will be a compromise candidate due to wars among Kalonzo Musyoka, Moses Wetangula, Raila and Mudavadi. With William Ruto presidential bid taking shape, Gideon further expects a Kalenjin will be fronted to take Ruto on as it happened in Moi succession when Mwai Kibaki was backed by the opposition to face Uhuru.
Mama Ngina Kenyatta
As 2002 was a Kikuyu versus Kikuyu, Gideon dream is 2022 will be a Kalenjin versus Kalenjin. It is on the said grounds Gideon is being marketed as a neutral in Nasa wars meeting members of One Kenya Alliance now and then with Raila at his Karen residence. Gideon was also picked to read a press statement at State House after county assemblies passed the BBI Bill, in front of Uhuru, Raila, Mudavadi, Kalonzo, Wetangula and Kitui governor Charity Ngilu to avoid suspicion among the Nasa coprincipals who as things stand now will never agree. Uhuru and his brother Muhoho are engaging Gideon to avoid isolating him thus annoy Mama Ngina. Within the corridors of power, talk is rife, Uhuru has convinced Gideon not to be in the presidential race but wait for BBI to pass in the referendum. That Uhuru wants Gideon president in future was well manifested when he openly stated during the burial of Mudavadi mother at Mululu in front of Raila, Gideon and others that presidency was not for two Kenyan tribes. The announcement was a pregnant political one eliciting political debate across the nation and internationally among scholars with interest in Kenya politics. Weekly Citizen has information Mama Ngina is being talked to by influential personalities surrounding her to understand, Gideon presidency is not ripe 2022 but can be worked on in near future. If convinced, then Raila factor that is being pushed by Mama Ngina brother Muhoho comes in play. Here, the deal is to have Raila run for one term presidency then hand over to Gideon in 2027. Others even say, with Raila health being of concern, Gideon may take over before 2027.
Muhoho Kenyatta
The game being, Gideon should be Raila’s running mate with a Kikuyu prime minister. Picking Gideon running mate will put him in pole position for presidency in case of any eventuality and at the same time handle Ruto equation in Kalenjin land and Mount Kenya. Our source, well-versed with happenings in Uhuru succession, revealed Ruto is under pressure from his Kikuyu allied MPs to name one of them as running mate. Ruto headache is who to pick as many are eyeing the slot. The same diehard Ruto allies are also opposed to jonnie-come-lately former Kiambu governor William Kabogo being favoured as Ruto is being urged by those close to him. Countering Ruto in the region is to have prime minister sold to the voters not deputy president. Those for Raila say, his age now favours Gideon presidency compared to Mudavadi and Kalonzo. If Kalonzo or Mudavadi are picked, it will take Gideon to wait for 10 years to be president along time in deed. Our source said when Moi family backed Mudavadi in Kibaki succession, it was aimed at having him rule for 10 years and hand over to Gideon. Unfortunately for Mudavadi, Uhuru who is also more close to Gideon than him has done two terms. There is talk in Uhuru government that after Ruto being isolated Gideon is at the centre of power. Insiders revealed that the split on the presidential aspirant to back has taken toll on Uhuru who reportedly can never oppose any idea from his mother. Uhuru is playing it neutral but with one enemy, the second in command Ruto.
George Muhoho
According to sources, Muhoho, while not directly challenging her mother, believes giving Gideon the ticket will result in a resounding defeat early in the morning. The president’s brother, while not ruling out a Gideon presidency in the future, is of the view they should front Mudavadi, whom he describes as a safe pair of hands. He is banking on the fact that Mudavadi does not have known enemies and hence will not embark on a revenge mission if handed the presidency. To him, Mudavadi can be sold among Kikuyus unlike Raila. He further argues that Mudavadi, like Uhuru, was also tutored by Moi and hence the Moi family will welcome his bid for power. The relationship between the Moi and the Mudavadi family has been tight, leading to Gideon backing the ANC leader’s presidential quest in 2013 and to Muhoho, you cannot trust Raila presidency. To Muhoho, sources added, Mudavadi should be rewarded for sticking with them when Moi named Uhuru as his successor in 2002 elections. Muhoho is also of the view Mudavadi is easy to sell across the country, particularly in Mount Kenya region among voters not comfortable with Raila and Ruto. He wants the Kenyatta and Moi families to invest in Mudavadi since they will be guaranteed to recoup their expenses once he assumes the throne. Gideon is part of the One Kenya Alliance that brings together Mudavadi, Kalonzo and Wetang’ula. According to sources, Uhuru’s uncle, Muhoho, is rooting for Raila on the strength that he is the only presidential aspirant who has a large and fanatical following than Ruto.
Raila Odinga(center) together with Beth Mugo and her brother Ngengi Muigai
His argument is that for the past three general elections Raila has contested excluding the repeat presidential election in October 2017 which he boycotted, the ODM leader has been voted in by millions of voters and the same will be replicated if they back him. Uncle Muhoho who campaigned for Kibaki together with Raila during the 2002 general elections, is of the view it is time the Kenyatta family reciprocated the gesture by the ODM leader’s father, Jaramogi Odinga Oginga, to refuse to take power from the colonialists but to instead demand the release of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta who was then in jail, to be the people’s leader. The former cabinet minister in Moi’s era, sources added, is even rooting for the pairing of Raila and Gideon for presidency and deputy respectively, with the Kikuyu community getting the prime minister’s post. His view is that Raila will only go for one term given his advanced age and poor health and hence Gideon will get a good chance to go for presidency as a frontrunner in 2027 general elections or even earlier. Insiders added that other family members backing Raila include cousin Jubilee nominated senator Beth Mugo and her brother Ngengi Muigai. The two paid a courtesy call to Raila at his Capitol Hill offices where their discussions centered on the 2022 polls. After the meeting, Raila disclosed that he shares a lot in common with the two particularly the struggle for multiparty democracy in the early 1990s. Prior to that, Uhuru’s younger brother had paid Raila a visit in Bondo during Jaramogi’s memorial service. Surprisingly, none of the Kenyattas is pushing for Kalonzo presidency thus complicating power sharing deal in One Kenya Alliance.
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