Since the famous handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his brother Raila Odinga, the ODM leader has been the talk of town being accorded privileges only reserved for Presidents when he travels abroad.
Even though details of the handshake have been scanty, it seems Kalonzo Musyoka is also big beneficiary of the truce. That is if recent developments are anything to go by.
Monday, Kalonzo was reportedly alongside Cabinet Secretaries pitching for Kenya in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in what seems to be an extension of the handshake.
According to sources, Kalonzo was booked in the same hotel with President Uhuru, pointing to his significant role in the two-day meeting that kicked off Monday.
The source said all his logistics and accommodation were reportedly handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in what confirmed that the Wiper Party leader was attending the summit with the fully blessings of State House.
“Kalonzo is part of the President’s official delegation to this summit. He is currently in a meeting attended by Uhuru and Cabinet Secretaries who accompanied him to this summit,” said the source.
Kalonzo is honorary chairman of the World Eminent Chinese Businessmen Association and it is unclear whether it is through this role that he is in the president’s delegation.
Wiper Executive Director Jared Siso confirmed that Kalonzo flew out of the country on Saturday and would be back on Thursday but declined to comment on his foreign engagement in China.
“I can tell you that our party leader is out of the country and is expected back on Thursday. That is all I say,” said Dr. Siso. He later stated that President Uhuru has the latitude to pick whoever he wishes to accompany him in his official engagements, asserting Kalonzo’s diplomatic front.
“Kalonzo has served this country as a vice-president and is known for his diplomacy, so it is in order if indeed he is in the official team. President Uhuru also has the latitude to decide on people to accompany him in his official trips,” said Dr Siso.
The latest development mean that of the four NASA co-principals, only Wetangula and Mudavadi remain in the cold trying to fathom their next political move. Remember Wetangula was ousted as the Senate Minority Leader after the handshake and he has since publicly fallen out with raila over the deal.