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Wiper gives Kalonzo ultimatum ahead of Raila's swearing-in

Meanwhile, Raila has maintained that he will form a government and run it from exile.

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has been slapped with a 14-day-ultimatum on whether to take oath on January 30 as Deputy President alongside ODM leader Raila Odinga.

Divisions emerged in Wiper over the controversial oath when a section of Ukambani politicians led by Victor Swanya Ogeto, one of the party’s vice chairpersons, maintained that Kalonzo should take oath.

After nearly four hours of a closed door meeting at Nairobi’s Panari Hotel on Wednesday, a battery of Wiper party officials, governors, MPs and MCAs stormed out and divulged that the resolution to have Mr Musyoka take oath would not be reversed.

2022 bid

They argued that the oath stands to benefit his 2022 presidential bid, in which he will be facing off with Ruto.

“What is the worst thing that can happen if we swear you in? It would be a political crisis that will force Uhuru to dialogue with you,” the team posed to Mr Musyoka, even as they remained put on launching the People’s Assembly in Machakos over the weekend.

Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana, on the other hand, differed with members over the planned swearing in. Mr Kibwana, called on the Wiper leader to use other alternatives to solve the stalemate which has been digging since October last year.

“We have told our party leader, because of his history, to take leadership of the dialogue process within NASA when the Jubilee side is ready to talk,” Prof Kibwana said, a sentiment agreed on by former Kitutu Chache parliamentary seat contestant Mr Ogeto.

Dialogue with government

In the recent past, the former Vice President has been championing for dialogue with President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy and resolved to threats to push the two into dialogue.

This has also been the position of Wavinya Ndeti, former Machakos gubernatorial candidate, who argues that they will use the swearing-in ensure “justice for Kenyan voters” if Kenyatta is not ready for dialogue.

Meanwhile, Nasa leader Raila Odinga in an interview with the Voice of America on Wednesday, revealed that he would be ready to form a parallel government in exile.

His sentiment comes after 13 opposition MPs said they will have all the NASA affiliated lawmakers sign an affidavit in support of the oath plan.

“This is no joke. An illegitimate government is in office, and the one that the people actually wanted to be there is outside. On January 30, we will end this. We will be sworn in with the August 8 result that shows we won,” Odinga stated.

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