NASA leaders during a past meeting. [Photo courtesy the-star.co.ke]
There was a time when the nation did not know who the opposition flag bearer would be.
You’d awake one morning and hear Kalonzo would go at it alone if Raila did not let him vie for the top seat. The two were feuding over an old agreement made in 2013.
Another day, we’d hear Wetangula say that he was the only one who could fell the proverbial big tree of Jubilee for he was indeed a small and sharp axe.
The story then changed when Mudavadi walked into Nasa as the fourth principal. This move scattered all ambitions for Wetangula. So much that Atwoli was forced to mediate between the two. It was this act that made Wetangula tone down on his ambitions to vie for the top seat.
Weta took two steps back and realized he was fighting a losing battle with Mudavadi in the picture and Atwoli endorsing Mudavadi as the de facto leader of the Luhya community.
It must have taken a lot to swallow such a blow, but Wetangula did not lose hope. He set his sights on the seat he knew he could win: that of Bungoma Senator.
Bungoma has over 0.5 million registered voters and last time, Moses Wetangula won with 46%. With such a record to improve his odds at winning this year, and the fact that Bungoma is a Ford Kenya stronghold, all he had to do was to preach the NASA manifesto and attack the Jubilee government.
He had fallen back on an assured seat and an assured monthly salary. He took a safe bet rather claiming a piece of the presidency.
He won!
In contrast, all other NASA principals are without a political seat. They are crossing their fingers that Nasa will win on the 26th. Some have fallen off the wagon like Isaac Ruto. Some have been rumored to have been voicing their intentions of leaving…
All and all, Weta assessed the situation and decided to fall back on an assured seat and monthly salary.
He strategized well.
I am sure he is strategizing on a 2022 gubernatorial or presidential bid.