Ruto’s big moment as UDA to unveil him as its candidate

Deputy President William Ruto today (Tuesday) walks into the Moi International Sports Complex, Kasarani, to secure the endorsement of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) for his presidential candidature and get its guidance on forging coalitions with partners.

Besides endorsing Dr Ruto as the party’s presidential aspirant, the National Delegates Convention (NDC) will decide on how UDA will formally work with parties that have backed his bid, effectively stamping a seal of approval for the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

UDA wave

And UDA leaders were yesterday talking of “surprise” guests among the expected 10, 000 participants, who include 4,350 party delegates and another 5,600 including aspirants.

This emerged as the UDA wave in Mt Kenya jolted Jubilee with Embu Senator Njeru Ndwiga the latest to decamp from the ruling party yesterday, a day after Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi also joined Dr Ruto’s party.

It is from declarations of Tuesday’s UDA NDC that Ruto will frame how to relate with fringe parties that have expressed interest to rally their supporters behind his presidential ambitions.

Until Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula backed the DP under the Kenya Kwanza Alliance. In the past, UDA had insisted it would not enter into any coalition.

According to UDA Secretary-General Veronica Maina, the party walks into the NDC with an open mind to table proposals and seek endorsements.

“Our budget is for 4,350 party delegates. Add about 5,600 aspirants as well as our partners and the total expected population is defined,” she said.

Political formation

Ms Maina explained that UDA’s key agenda as per the notice is to seek the endorsement of the NDC to have Dr Ruto as their presidential candidate.

The NDC, she explained, will also empower Dr Ruto to start crafting his political formation, including allowing him to appoint a running mate, enter into coalitions, negotiate power-sharing formulas, and sign memoranda with his partners.

“The issue of our common relationship with our partner parties has been a bone of contention. While the NDC might sanction us to enter into cooperation, the nitty gritty of actual relationships will be bred from intra-party deliberations. The beauty of it is that we are all exhibiting utmost good faith in it,” Ms Maina said.

She explained that how the Kenya Kwanza Alliance will be structured to compete with the Azimio la Umoja coalition will be sealed by the NDC.

Mr Wetang’ula said: “We are now on the final stretch of making our political formation gain shape.”

He said individual NDCs for all friendly parties will be harmonised and used to define the structural format of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

Tharaka-Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki said: “Tomorrow [today] will be a game-changing and historic day because the largest party in the country will unveil its presidential candidate, who is DP Ruto.”

“We expect leaders from our partner parties to be present as our guests because our party leader has been a guest in some of their events. We expect the leader of ANC party, Mr Mudavadi, Ford Kenya’s Wetang’ula, and the honourable Martha Karua of Narc Kenya. We expect other guests, but we will not tell you their names right now,” Mr Kindiki added.

 Those who confirmed attendance are Chama Cha Kazi party leader Moses Kuria and Tujibebe Party leader William Kabogo.

 “We are in this journey together. We are now at that point where we have to get down and do real work of projecting ourselves as a force that is capable of taking on the opposition that is shaping up,” Mr Kabogo said.

‘Elaborate plans’

Mr Kuria added that there are at least 25 political parties that will be joining the Kenya Kwanza Alliance “and we are discussing the modalities.”

“But all our actions must be endorsed by individual political party,” Mr Kuria added.

UDA legal strategist Edward Muriu said the NDC is anticipated to bring together at least 10,000 delegates.

 “We have made elaborate plans to ensure that we stage an NDC that is forceful, ground-shaking and inclusive. Of the 10,000 delegates, invited guests are supporters of Mr Mudavadi, Mr Wetang’ula and all other friendly parties that support Dr Ruto,” Mr Muriu said.

This came as more of President Kenyatta’s allies in Jubilee continued their exodus to UDA.

Mr Ndwiga said his decision was informed by “raw reality on the ground where my people have made it emphatically certain that they do not entertain other formations.”

 Coming from a region that is home to Democratic Party presidential aspirant Justin Muturi, political pundits were quick to brand the switch as major in its implied reality on the ground.

On Sunday, Mr Wamatangi, who is the Senate Majority whip, and Thika Town MP Wainaina wa Jungle (Independent) also joined UDA.

Mr Wamatangi said: “My fact-finding mission and engagements even with my close family members left me with no option but to join UDA.”

On Monday, Dr Ruto announced that more than 40 MCAs from Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties had decamped from Jubilee to UDA.

Others who have recently joined UDA from Jubilee are Maragua MP Mary wa Maua, Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga and Nyeri County Assembly Speaker John Kaguchia.

 On March 12, 30 Kiambu MCAs decamped to UDA and were accompanied to Dr Ruto’s official residence by their Speaker, Mr Stephen Ndichu.

Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua said the NDC will shake their competitors, Azimio la Umoja, which is backed by President Uhuru Kenyatta, has endorsed Mr Raila Odinga as its presidential flagbearer.

 Mr Gachagua said negotiations seeking to come up with a common contest plan between other parties and UDA are on.

 “But, while we agree on the common plan of supporting Dr Ruto and selling his manifesto to the electorate, we are still in the contest in the other five elective seats,” he said.

Negotiations

However, he said negotiations were ongoing on how UDA will relate with its partners in contesting the other seats.

“It can be a tragedy if all affiliate parties contest the seats. The complication is real and we have to make a decision. Our position is that UDA candidates will be Dr Ruto’s point men and will enjoy his support.”

“That is the point we are trying to make in order to convince all those who share the common agenda of seeing Dr Ruto ascend to power,” he said.

It also emerged that UDA would love its partner parties to help it in mobilising voter turnout especially in Mt Kenya and Rift Valley regions where the “Hustler Nation” is well established.

 “Yes, we know that this election will be won by getting the turnout math right. We are better dealing with voter apathy as a team. But we cannot also sabotage our national outlook to bank on tribe and region as the focal point of the contest,” he said.

Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata said the advantage of the partnership is that “many political parties supporting Dr Ruto’s presidential bid will ensure voter turnout is high.”

Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said a national party cannot limit itself in a contest, hence Dr Ruto’s insistence on fielding candidates even when partnering to boost his presidential bid.

 He said some parties had fronted the idea of striking a pre-election pact that would see UDA skip contests in some counties.

“This is a very risky arrangement where some of those small parties can be infiltrated by our competition and be used to sabotage us. The arrangement does not also serve UDA’s goal of building itself as a national party,” he said.

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