The call for a referendum ahead of 2022 polls is gaining momentum and suspicion at the same time within government, threatening to split Unity Kenyatta’s cabinet.
Top government officials allied to William Ruto are vehemently opposed to the plebiscite as politics of succession seem to be cropping up.
Recently, the DP made a controversial about turn to back the referendum call against his initial position with reservations that the question of what element needs to be amended coming into play.
The DP had earlier mobilised his political brigade in a range of countrywide tours to oppose the referendum with fear that Raila Doings was planning to make a comeback into the presidential race through the amendment.
His handlers claim Rails was threatening the DP’s plan of benefiting directly from the succession politics after You’re Kenyatta’s second term if the referendum plot goes through, with great attention being given to the extended executive.
A new development is, however, emerging that the cabinet is split over the referendum call with a section secretly supporting the referendum.
Other CSs have gone full blast to back the call while others have adopted a wait-and-see attitude.
Devolution cabinet secretary Eugene Wamalwa is one of the CSs who have come out boldly to back the referendum call, a move that pundits have described as a deliberate move to oppose the position taken by Ruth.
During a fund raiser in aid of St Christopher Catholic Church in Kyumbi, Machakos, Wamalwa alongside City boss Francis Atwoli led a campaign for the referendum in Kambaland.
The former Saboti legislature threw the spanner in the works by defending the call for law amendments ahead of the polls.
“I agree with majority of Kenyans that time is ripe to change the constitution. Let us not ask whether we need to change the constitution, but rather what we need to change the constitution,” CS Wamalwa said.
Speaking during the fundraiser, Atwoli and Kakamega senator Cleopas Masala observed that the amendments were unavoidable and will address the perennial challenge of inclusivity that had tormented the country for decades.
They said that the cycle of violence after every election will be tackled by reviewing the law.
CS Wamalwa has now come under close scrutiny by DP team based at Harambee Annex after the pronouncement, with many terming it as an outright defiance and insubordination.
The CS has since insisted on many public forums that he holds that opinion as a concerned Kenyan and could be differing with the opponents on the grounds of objectivity. Wamalwa has been absent in most of Ruto’s tours in Western region. The DPhas instead opted for the company of MPs from the region. Senate speaker Kenneth Lusaka and sports cabinet secretary Rashid Echesa have been accompanying the DP.
The Sports CS last week joined a team of Western leaders in a tour of Western Kenyan the company of Ruto.
FYI: Kenya is in dire need of billions to carry out #Census2019 and #Referendum2020.
The TAX cloud just getting darker. Tougher times ahead…#FinanceBill2018 @wmnjoya @Waambui @DonaldBKipkorir @Sam_Lulli @ItsBravin @ekisiangani pic.twitter.com/mpgw9bIMD8— James Mutinda (@JMutinda_snr) September 19, 2018
Rashid, who has been on warpath with his former boss, Raila, said the orange party boss is plotting to divide Jubilee through the call for a referendum.
Rashid is a close ally of Tito while Wamalwa is said to side with Uhuru Kenyatta.
Some of the members of the Uhuru-Ruto cabinet are keeping mum over the referendum calls for fear of victimisation.
The CS is said to harbour presidential ambitions.
Wamalwa has since kept his political cards close to his chest on his agenda ahead of 2022 polls.
A source close to him said he will not contest the Trans Nzoia gubernatorial seat in 2022and instead will go for a National post.
CSWamalwa last week joined Atwoli in a visit to the former head of state Daniel Mom at his Kabarak home. Atwoli is pushing for the referendum and even wants Uhuru not to quit active politics.
Details of the Kabarak meeting have not been divulged.
This comes in the backdrop of botched visit of Ruto to Moi’s home months ago.