THE ODM back-up plan to run an alternative presidential candidate to Prime Minister Raila Odinga in 2012 is now under serious consideration.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Government Musalia Mudavadi could be the Orange Democratic Movement presidential candidate next year. Mudavadi is being considered for the ODM ticket if the forces ranged against Raila seem to be overwhelming.
Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto have put together the "Group of Seven" regional leaders to win the 2012 election with votes from across the country.
The other G7 members are Kalonzo Musyoka, Najib Balala, Eugene Wamalwa, Aden Dualle and Omingo Magara.“Those attacking Raila will be shocked because if we are not able to field Raila we will have Mudavadi as the candidate. We believe he is a man many Kenyans will vote for and with him even Rift Valley will come back to ODM and the election will be won on round one,” said a senior ODM leader and Cabinet minister close to Raila.
Raila last Friday told a gathering of IDPs near Nakuru that the important thing was to pursue reform and not just personal power.“I did not say I’m not a candidate. I said I’m not in the business of contesting the presidency for the sake of being President. Anybody within ODM can be the presidential candidate because it is not automatic that Raila will be the candidate," Raila explained to the Star yesterday.“If someone else is nominated as the ODM candidate, I will support the person because we are a movement that is driven by a collective desire to bring meaningful change," he said.
Following Raila’s statement on Friday, politicians close to National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende have also begun exploring the possibility of him contesting the presidency on an ODM ticket.“If people want Musalia then he has to prove himself. He is a likable fellow and a possible good candidate who is less divisive. But there are people who are also looking at Marende as a possible candidate,” said Richard Onyonka, Foreign Affairs assistant minister.
Mudavadi is seen as a strong compromise candidate for the country because Raila, Uhuru and Ruto all provoke strong emotions for and against. If Raila campaigned for Mudavadi as he did for Kibaki in 2002, ODM insiders believe he could be an invincible candidate.
Mudavadi was born on September 21, 1960 in Sabatia, Vihiga County. He first became an MP in 1989 when he was elected unopposed to take the Sabatia seat vacated by his late father Moses Mudavadi.
In late 2002, Mudavadi became the last and shortest serving Vice-President under President Moi in an unsuccessful attempt to bring the Luhya into the Kanu camp. Mudavadi then unsuccessfully ran for Vice-President as Uhuru’s running mate in 2002 and also lost his Sabatia seat.
In 2005, Mudavadi made a political comeback by aligning himself with the 'No' side in the referendum on the proposed new constitution. In the September 2007 nominations, the ODM picked Raila as its presidential candidate but Mudavadi took second place with 391 votes, far short of Odinga's 2,656 votes. Mudavadi was named Odinga's running mate for the election.
A section of Kalenjin leaders yesterday indicated that they would be willing to negotiate with Mudavadi should he run for President. Eldoret Mayor William Rono and Wareng County Council Chairman Paul Kiprop however said Mudavadi should not be propped up by Raila.“We have no problem with Mudavadi but we don’t want him to be in someone’s shadow. He should come out like a focused politician and we will consider backing him,” said Kiprop.
Last month Mudavadi toured Rift Valley and both Rono and Kiprop publicly asked him in eight meetings to run for President because the Kalenjin were comfortable with him. Mudavadi only said that there is nothing impossible in politics.
At the weekend Mudavadi met with unnamed elders from the Kalenjin community at his Mululu home where they discussed 2012 politics. Kanu leaders from Rift Valley have also independently asked Mudavadi to run in 2012."We have no problem with Mudavadi as Kanu and if he decides to join the presidential race, the politics of this country will again change," said Keiyo South Kanu branch Chairman Paul Kibet.
Rift Valley ODM coordinator William Atinga said there were no neutral candidates for the presidency.“ODM is a movement and not about an individual. We are not short of leadership in the party,” he said. “We know that Raila and Musalia are one and share the same ideologies.”
Luo Council of Elders chairman Ker Willis Otondi said such a move would be unacceptable as Raila is still popular across the country.“As far as I’m concerned, ODM is popular and plans to have Mudavadi as its presidential candidate are just rumours,” Otondo told the Star.“Even opinion polls have indicated that he (Raila) is the most popular candidate," he added.There were varied opinions in Western Kenya.“Much as we may want our own to be the candidate, we want the party nomination machinery fully followed so the candidate is acceptable across the board,” said Kakamega County Council chairman John Shimaka.
The ODM coordinator for Kakamega County Geoffrey Nasiali said Western region would fully support Mudavadi for the presidency in 2012 if nominated.
Kakamega Mayor Vincent Anjeche said, “All Western leaders would welcome a Mudavadi presidency since he has no problem with other leaders across the country.”
He said there were many forces against a Raila presidency and it would be prudent for the ODM to change tack if it hopes to gain power in 2012.
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