Raila to vie for presidency, Kibaki assures he will retire

By STANDARD REPORTERPrime Minister Raila has announced he will run for president, discounting reports he was preparing to back another ODM aspirant.
At the same time President Kibaki has dismissed a report he is considering running for president again after the expiry of his second term, next year.
Raila made the announcement while on a tour of the resort city of Malibu, an affluent, beachfront city in Los Angeles County, California.
According to a report in The Malibu Times, Raila told his audience at a private party it was the first time he was declaring his candidature.
It is not clear why the Prime Minister made the declaration away from home. But he was quoted saying, "I can announce here I am going to be a candidate for the presidency of Kenya."
A rival group has launched a campaign to ensure their candidate faces Raila. The group led by Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Eldoret North MP William Ruto has mounted a campaign against Raila.
On Thursday, Kibaki said he does not intend to seek re-election, contrary to sensational Press reports.
"The President has worked hard to ensure passage and adoption of the new Constitution, which does not allow a person to serve more than two terms," said a statement released through Government Spokesman Alfred Mutua.
He was responding to a lead story carried by The Star on Thursday. The paper claimed powerful people were discussing the possibility of Kibaki running again next year should it become impossible for Uhuru to contest.
Kibaki successionThe paper claimed four senior officials, three of them working for the President, have had several informal meetings on the possibility of Kibaki succeeding himself.
The paper does not refer to the fact the Constitution does not provide room for previous presidents running after the expiry of Kibaki’s term.
Mutua said, "The Government wishes wananchi to know there are no plans to extend the President’s term and media reports to that effect are cheap propaganda."
Early this week, The Star again reported that ODM had worked on a back-up plan to run an alternative presidential candidate to Raila in 2012.
Shock for CriticsThe lead story claimed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Government Musalia Mudavadi could be the Orange Democratic Movement presidential candidate.
It alleged Mudavadi was being considered for the ODM ticket if the forces ranged against Raila seemed to be divisive.
"Those attacking Raila will be shocked because if we do not field Raila we will have Mudavadi as the candidate. We believe many Kenyans would vote for him.
"With him even Rift Valley will come back to ODM and the election would be won on round one," said the story, quoting an ODM leader and Cabinet minister close to Raila.
But in California, The Malibu Times reported a seaside residence near Trancas was the venue Sunday for African politics and Malibu philanthropy.
"At a private Malibu party Sunday evening, Raila Odinga, the Prime Minister of Kenya, announced he would run for president during that country’s next elections," the paper reported.
The story said: "When asked by The Malibu Times if his speech Sunday was the first time he had declared his candidacy, Odinga said, ‘yes’."
Raila ran for president in 2007, but narrowly lost amid allegations of rigging. He disputed the results and during ensuing riots more than 1,200 people were killed and 600,000 displaced.
New medicine"I won elections last time, three years ago. I was robbed of victory," the Premier said.
Raila then agreed to share power with President Kibaki for the sake of the country.
Raila said reforms enacted since the previous elections would "ensure us that I would not be robbed again. I hope that I can bank on you for support in my campaign next year," he told the Sunday reception.
It said the surprise announcement came at a private Malibu party hosted by Amir Heshmatpour.
A guest list of 100 researchers, investors, and entertainers had gathered to celebrate the launch of a new medicine for sickle cell anemia.
Researcher Yukata Niihara has been developing the medication since 1992. It is in phase three of clinical trials.
Dr Niihara said he hopes to begin compassionate use of the drug in Kisumu, Kenya, within a year.
Niihara reportedly explained to the audience Kisumu was a natural place to begin compassionate use of the drug, since as many as one of 50 people there are born with the often fatal disease.
"[Kisumu is] where sickle cell is ... most prevalent, not just in Kenya, but in Africa ... they have the highest number of sickle cell diseases, and what better place to start this project than Kisumu," the paper quotes Niihara saying.
Live normal livesNiihara said the drug, an L-glutamine medicine that has not yet been given a commercial name, ameliorates effects of sickle cell by reducing oxidation in red blood cells so they do not deform.
The PM told The Malibu Times the drug was "big news in Kenya ... the best thing to happen this century."
"You find many ironies; you can invest a lot of resources in these children – treatment and education, but by the time they reach college, they will just die. So it is a hopeless investment, until now. This medicine is going to give them a chance to live normal lives."
The paper said the Malibu event came a day after the launch of the US chapter of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation. Named after the Premier’s father, the foundation addresses health and education issues.
Heshmatpour said his company, AFH Holding & Advisory, would be partnering with the foundation to provide medical training.