Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has lifted the lid on a little-known political tussle that nearly denied former President Uhuru Kenyatta the powerful seat of Deputy Prime Minister in 2008.
Speaking in a recent interview, Kalonzo revealed that then-President Mwai Kibaki was initially hesitant about appointing Uhuru to the position during the formation of the Grand Coalition Government. According to him, Kibaki feared the move would fuel accusations of tribalism, since both he and Uhuru came from the Kikuyu community.
“At that time, Kibaki was worried about how it would look to the rest of the country if he appointed another Kikuyu into such a senior position,” Kalonzo said, adding that there were strong voices pushing for other leaders like Martha Karua to take up the role.
Kalonzo, however, disclosed that he personally lobbied for Uhuru’s appointment, arguing that Uhuru had stood firmly behind Kibaki during the heated 2007 election standoff. He also reminded Kibaki of Uhuru’s role in consolidating support at a time when the country was deeply divided.
Eventually, Kibaki gave in to the pressure, and Uhuru was handed the Deputy Prime Minister slot alongside the Finance docket a move that would later prove pivotal in shaping his journey to the presidency.
This revelation now adds a fresh layer to Kenya’s political history, showing just how delicate coalition negotiations were after the 2007 post-election crisis, and how close Uhuru came to missing a role that propelled him into the national spotlight.
