Deputy President William Ruto has formally reached out to Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford-Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula for talks on a pre-election coalition agreement ahead of the August polls.
United Democratic Alliance (UDA) secretary general Veronica Maina yesterday told the Daily Nation they had already invited Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetang'ula for talks. She said UDA was awaiting a response from the two, adding that with respect to ANC and Ford-Kenya, the DP would reconsider his position that anyone supporting him must join UDA.
“In case they accept it, we will listen to them because, as UDA, we are a democratic party that does not give demands. Yes, anyone who wants to support us has to join UDA, but we will listen to ANC and Ford Kenya,” said Ms Maina.
Dr Ruto hinted he was pursuing Mr Mudavadi last week in an interview with Citizen TV. “Even when I am talking to Musalia Mudavadi, as I ask him to work together, for that meeting, I am leading the UDA party. Even when I send a campaign outside Musalia's house, I tell the people there that the party that will form the government is UDA and they should join it,” DP Ruto said.
On Friday, he attended a football tournament in Kakamega organised by Senator Cleophas Malala. It ran parallel to a meeting hosted in Bukhungu Stadium attended by ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Lugari MP Ayub Savula, who is also the deputy party leader of ANC, abandoned the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) to back Mr Odinga at the meeting. Yesterday, Mr Savula told the Daily Nation that the latest behaviours of Mr Mudavadi’s allies suggests there are talks ongoing between the former vice president and Dr Ruto.
“Some of OKA principals are moles of Ruto. I am principled, I cannot be party to that. Because of what transpired on Friday, I suspect that there are talks underway and I am not involved and I will never be involved,” Mr Savula said, referring to Mr Malala hosting the DP.
Mr Mudavadi, Mr Wetang’ula, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Kanu chairman Gideon Moi are in OKA, which plans to pick a joint presidential flagbearer this month.
“I was assigned by Musalia to reduce the period when to deposit the coalition agreement with the Registrar of Political Parties in the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill from six months to three then you see in Parliament they vote with Ruto’s side. You lose confidence, absolute double standards,” Mr Savula said.
Prof XN Iraki of the University of Nairobi argues that both Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetang’ula will have to shelve their presidential bids and support either Mr Odinga or DP Ruto.
“The two must make a choice between Raila and Ruto. Sadly, from the events of Friday. They could be forced to make choices portraying them as weak and indecisive,” said Prof Iraki.
“They could also be playing hard to catch raising their political price. The longer they take before deciding who to back, the higher the chances they will become irrelevant and find the high seats taken.”
Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa said the two leaders should work with DP Ruto. “It will be prudent for Musalia and Wetang’ula to sit down and agree on how to work with the DP because that is the only way we can be in government.”
Western has more than two million votes, with Kakamega having the largest share at 743,736, Bungoma 559,850, Busia 351,048 and Vihiga 272,409. Trans Nzoia, located in the Rift Valley but with a high Luhya population, has 339,622 votes.
The DP has told Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetang’ula to make a final decision on their alliance partners. "The most important thing is that we need to work together to win the coming election. I will personally look for Mudavadi and Wetang’ula so that we can make a final decision."
On Thursday, Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga, an ally of Senator Wetang’ula, together with MPs Didmus Barasa (Kimilili) and Dan Wanyama (Webuye West) attended a meeting with the DP in Sugoi, Uasin Gishu.
“I stood with these men (Ruto MPs) fighting a punitive Bill in Parliament. You cannot just lock the democracy of the people... Even if they call for 500 special sittings, we will frustrate them all,” said Mr Kalasinga.
This was the second time Mr Kalasinga was associating with DP. In September, he hosted Dr Ruto in his constituency, setting tongues wagging whether he had the blessings of his boss, Senator Wetang’ula. He assured the DP of Bungoma support.
