Former President Mwai Kibaki, Kalonzo Musyoka and Raila Odinga.[Photo/KenyaOnline News]
Deceit, unfulfilled promises and suspicious among pioneer members of NARC government led to imminent collapse and fierce political rivalry in subsequent years, former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has revealed.
Yearning to get rid of independence party KANU form power, several opposition parties under the stewardship of Mwai Kibaki merged under the umbrella of NARC and subsequently managed to beat KANU’s flag bearer Uhuru Kenyatta, the current President in 2002.
But the government that had brought hope among many Kenyans could not last for five years before former Prime Minister Raila Odinga led an earthquake rebellion that saw President Kibaki dissolve the entire government.
Under the MoU that was never fulfilled, Kibaki was to be President While Kijana Wamalwa was to deputize him.
Kalonzo Musyoka was to be the Second VP while Mr. Odinga was to be Prime Minister who was to be deputized by George Saitoti and Charity Ngilu.
Sadly, Mr. Kibaki failed to implement the MoU, a move that destabilized his government and even led to fiercely contested 2007 elections.
“We have signed a document that will not deceive us just like what Kibaki did years ago,” said Kalonzo when he was unveiled as Odinga’s running mate ahead of August elections.“He decided to ignore the MoU and that made it impossible for him to govern but we have learnt from the past,” he added.
Although Odinga and Musyoka did not serve in the promised portfolios, they were later to serve under the grand coalition government.