Before his death, the former vice president and a once a darling of the Mulembe nation, Michael Kijana Wamalwa, had a very frosty relationship with the former prime minister as explained by Raila Odinga’s political strategist Sarah Elderkin.
In an opinion published in February 2015, Elderkin narrated how the former vice president and Raila would become greatest enemies after the death of Jaramogi Oginga.
According the Elderkin, until his death in 1994, Jaramogi Oginga was the head of Public Accounts Committee. She says, upon his death, Jaramogi had managed to investigate the Goldenberg scandal that mentioned a number of prominent persons culpable of the scandal.
Unfortunately, before Mr. Oginga could table the report, he met his death. Kijana Wamalwa was then picked to succeed him as the chairman of PAC with Raila as one of the members of the committee.
However, Elderkin recalls Mr. Wamalwa could later be compromised after he was prevailed upon by the powerful individuals in the government led by Daniel Moi to alter the findings of the Oginger-led committee.
She says that, Wamalwa went ahead to institute a fresh probe on Kamlish Pattni and individuals who were at the centre stage of the saga. At one time, Elderkin recalls, when their was a tie of 4-4, Wamalwa joined the other side intentionally to exonerate the suspects.
Something that did not go well with Raila Odinga after his efforts to protest were futile.
Later on in 1997, when FORD-K inter party elections were held, Raila beat Wamalwa but he was rigged in an election marred with violence, she says.
This was the beginning of a prolonged frosty relationship between Raila and Wamalwa. Raila was then accused of fighting Wamalwa within the party.
According to Elderkin, a tired Raila eventually left FORD-K to form his own national party which was known as National Development Party.
He used NDP to win Lang’ata elections parliamentary seat.
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