Former Kitui Senator David Musila has shed light on the final moments that led to a political fallout between Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto, and Kalonzo Musyoka ahead of the 2013 general election.
The three had been part of what was termed as a KKK (Kikuyu, Kalenjin, Kamba) alliance and were widely to form one coalition that would produce a Presidential candidate to face then Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Musila, in his new memoir Seasons of Hope, writes that the relationship was marred with suspicion as Ruto and Kenyatta had their fate tied b the ICC while Musyoka was seen as an opportunist waiting for the duo to be jailed in the Hague.
At the time, Kenyatta and Ruto held frequent prayer ,meetings where they galvanised political support not only against the ICC cases, but also to gain traction for a presidential ticket.
The former Wiper Chairman recalls that at some point, the two challenged Musyoka to also host them for a rally in his stronghold of Ukambani where the proverbial last straw broke the camel's back.
"During a prayer meeting in Ruiru, they (UhuRuto), privately challenged Kalonxo to invite them for prayers in Ukambani and a meeting was hastily organised the following weekend in Machakos."
"In his speech, Johnstone Muthama, "kweekwa ali, tukeeka-ali" and the crowd went wild. It is said that after the rally, Uhuru and Ruto left for Kitengela where they sought the services of a young manfrom Kalonzo's team, Fred Muteti, to interpret what Muthama had said. They were curious to know the meaning of the statement that drove the crowd into a frenzy. According to Mwakwere, Muteti told them that Muteti told them that Muthama meant,"Once these people(Uhuru and Ruto)get jailed at the Hague, Kalonzo shall take over," Musila writes.
The former Wiper Chairman recalls that Kenyatta and Ruto became very angry at Musyoka and banned him from attending their political meetings.
"After the Kitengela meeting, it was agreed that Kalonzo was no longer welcome to their rallies. They dispatched Mwakwere. The following Tuesday, Mwakwere walked to Kalonzo's office in Parliament. According to him, Kalonzo was not to attend prayer rallies attended by Uhuru and Ruto," the former Musyoka ally recalls.
Musila adds that Musyoka, then a Vice President, had to seek President Mwai Kibaki's intervention who convinced Kenyatta and Ruto to make peace with his VP.
The two ultimately agreed to run a joint ticket with Kenyatta as Presidential candidate with Ruto as his running mate.
Musyoka, in his memoir Against all Odds, recalls the moment when Kenyatta and Ruto delivered the bad news.
“I clearly remember the night I felt betrayed by Uhuru and Ruto. This was the night our alliance died. We had agreed with Ruto that I would be on the presidential ticket, with Uhuru as my running mate or vice versa. Ruto was to be the Majority Leader,” he writes.
“Then on that night, Uhuru and Ruto arrived at my home in the company of Jimmy Wanjigi...Ruto and Jimmy sat silently as Uhuru spoke: “Stephen,” he said, “We have decided that you should choose some other position, but not the presidency or deputy presidency.’’ I was stunned. I did not know at what point the arrangement we had earlier, of me being on the presidential ticket, had been changed.”