On Friday, President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga signed a historic agreement at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) to foster political cooperation. However, the absence of two key Western Kenya leaders, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, raised eyebrows and triggered speculation about their stance on the deal.
Despite their notable absence, a fact-check by Citizen Digital confirmed that Mudavadi and Wetangula were engaged in other official duties on the day of the signing. Earlier in the morning, Mudavadi attended a Kenya Kwanza Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting at State House, chaired by President Ruto. During this meeting, ruling coalition legislators endorsed the cooperation agreement between the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
Following the meeting, Mudavadi proceeded to his office for another engagement at 10 a.m. before traveling to Bomet and Kakamega counties, where he represented President Ruto at various functions. In Bomet, he attended the funeral of Mzee David Kiplang’at Arap Kirinyet, the father of Dr. Aurelia Rono, Principal Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs, in Chemaner village. Later in the day, he traveled to Lugusi in Kakamega County for a thanksgiving service at Friends’ Boys School, where he presented a school bus in honor of the late Malava MP, Malulu Injendi.
Additionally, Mudavadi attended the requiem mass for the late former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati, further underlining his packed schedule that prevented him from attending the KICC event.
While Wetangula’s specific engagements on the day remain undisclosed, his absence was likely due to official parliamentary duties or other obligations aligned with his role as Speaker of the National Assembly.
The absence of Mudavadi and Wetangula, both influential leaders from Western Kenya, has fueled political discourse, with some interpreting it as a subtle indication of their position regarding the Ruto-Raila pact. However, their participation in the earlier Kenya Kwanza PG meeting suggests they were aligned with the coalition’s stance on the cooperation agreement. Their absence was, therefore, purely logistical rather than political.
As Kenya’s political landscape continues to evolve, the cooperation deal between Ruto and Raila marks a significant shift in alliances, and the roles of leaders like Mudavadi and Wetangula in the unfolding political realignments will be closely watched.
