Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi has launched a charm offensive targeting the vote-rich Mt Kenya region.
The ANC leader, who is seeking the region’s support to strengthen his 2022 presidential bid, has in the last two weeks toured the region. He was hosted by local leaders including Cabinet Secretaries, governors, MPs and former legislators among other leaders.
His ANC party has equally launched a massive recruitment drive targeting the region’s 10 counties of Nyeri, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Nyandarua, Meru, Embu, Tharaka-Nithi, Nakuru and Laikipia.
The ANC leader was on May 15 hosted by Kieni MP Kanini Kega at his home in Nyeri County, a meeting which the legislator termed as private.
Constructive engagement
Cabinet Secretaries Joe Mucheru (ICT), Peter Munya (Agriculture), Mutahi Kagwe (Health), Eugene Wamalwa (Devolution) as well as governors Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga), Mutahi Kahiga (Nyeri), Muthomi Njuki (Tharaka Nithi), acting Nairobi governor Anne Kananu and National Assembly Majority leader Amos Kimunya among other leaders attended the meeting.
In an interview with Nation, Mr Mudavadi said they had a constructive engagement with the leaders. He said that they agreed to work together for the sake of the region and the country.
“The Mountain region is pivotal in Kenya’s politics. As we build up towards 2022 and beyond, it is important that the region is engaged fully so that one can have an opportunity to get their views and aspirations beyond 2022,” said Mr Mudavadi.
On Friday, the ANC leader was hosted by a group of former legislators from Mt Kenya region at the Sagana Gateaway Resort in Maragua constituency, Murang’a County.
Co-conveners of the meeting, former MPs Humphrey Kimani (Gatanga) and Rev Mutava Musyimi (Gachoka, now Mbeere South) told Nation that 2022 succession politics took centre stage “as we seek to engage leaders and get to know their agenda for the region post 2022.”
“We had a conversation with him (Mr Mudavadi) regarding his 2022 presidential bid because there is a consensus that we get a leader from outside the Mt Kenya community because in 2022 we shall not produce a presidential candidate,” said Mr Kimani.
Negotiation
He went on: “So we are negotiating from outside but that does not mean the region is not interested in power. Anybody who is vying for presidency is welcome for negotiations and our main issues are economic; agriculture, trade, SMEs, youth unemployment among others.”
The feeling is that “we may be getting our share politically but not economically and whoever is likely to bargain with us alongside that line since we are an economic conscious community. Mr Mudavadi is a fairly sober leader who can steer the region and country to the next level.”
Mr Musyimi, the former secretary-general of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) and ex-chairman of the Ufungamano initiative said the agenda of their engagement with Mr Mudavadi was 2022 and he seeks the community’s support.
“We want a government that empowers the people; that which puts money into their pockets and not handouts. We had a candid and honest discussion with him and we believe that what is good for Mt Kenya is generally good for Kenya,” Mr Musyimi said.
Mr Mudavadi said he was keen on having the region understand what he stands for, his vision for the country and how he intends to partner with them and other Kenyans for the benefit of the country.
“One key aspect is that the people in the mountain put a lot of premium on matters that relate to the economy, entrepreneurship, agriculture, are keen on coffee, tea, milk and lately they have come out strongly on issue like macadamia, avocado; crops that are largely export oriented.”
“So one would want to work with them and see how best to make sure the returns from these economic activities can be of greater benefit as we go into the future,” Mr Mudavadi said.
He went on: “My mission to them is basically to tell them that my policies will be those that will work towards anchoring their economic interests so that we can have job creation and there can be more wealth coming into their pockets.”
The ANC leader maintained that he was reaching out to everybody in his 2022 journey.
“I want to partner with all Kenyans so that we can walk together this path. In Mt Kenya, we are reaching out and assuring them that we want to partner because we are one nation.”
“We have 47 counties, but we cannot have 47 visions. We need to understand that in our diversity as Kenyan people, those constitutional or geographical boundaries that are there, there must be a common thread of issues that can unite us and we must have a critical mass of those issues that can unite us so that as we have the 47 counties, we must know we can then have a Kenyan vision,” said the ANC leader.
Fundamental issues
He underscored the need for having a commonality on matters of economy, security, healthcare and education among other fundamental issues.
“This is important so that we move away from corrosive politics that take us to all sorts of segments. We must show there is hope in positive engagements. That’s where answers lie. We want to develop that direction as a people as we move forward,” added Mr Mudavadi.
ANC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Margaret Ndanyi said the party will continue conducting its mass recruitment drive ahead of the 2022 election.
“We have launched our membership drive. We met party officials at Sagana Resort on Wednesday last Week and are also planning to have training of aspirants who would like to vie on ANC ticket.”
“We are gaining momentum. We are talking about Musalia’s dream of Uchumi bora – ensuring money is in the peoples’ pockets,” said Ms Ndanyi.
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