Sunday, December 4, 2011

Kalonzo to Kibaki: Don’t anoint successor



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By BOB ODALO bodalo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Saturday, December 3  2011 at  22:53
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka has asked President Kibaki not to endorse a successor ahead of the 2012 General Election.
The VP said on Friday that such a move would have far-reaching consequences for the Party of National Unity (PNU).
“In 2002, former President Moi made a terrible mistake by anointing Uhuru Kenyatta as his preferred candidate. The effects of that move were felt many years later,” the VP said.
Popular candidate
Mr Musyoka said the best way to go about the Kibaki succession would be for the President to let the presidential hopefuls in the PNU alliance fight it out for the party’s ticket to produce a popular candidate.
Those interested in the PNU/G-7 alliance ticket besides the VP are Internal Security minister Goerge Saitoti, Mr Kenyatta, Eldoret North MP William Ruto and Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa.
On Friday, Prof Saitoti also appealed for fair nominations in the alliance at a meeting in Nairobi and warned against what he called “cat and mouse games’’.
Instructively, both Mr Musyoka and Prof Saitoti were among the former Kanu bigwigs who bitterly opposed Mr Kenyatta’s anointment and ditched the party in 2002.
Others who left the party were Prime Minister Raila Odinga and former ministers Joseph Kamotho, William Ntimama and Joseph Nyagah.
The fallout ultimately handed victory to the Narc candidate, Mr Kibaki.
The VP’s remarks followed an appeal to President Kibaki by Machakos Town MP Victor Munyaka to name his preferred successor, suggesting that Mr Musyoka fits the bill.
On Saturday, Mr Musyoka’s aide, Kaplich Barsito, insisted that the VP will go to the G7 Alliance on an ODM-Kenya ticket.
And, speaking in Kitui, Mr Musyoka said the parties in the alliance were being beefed up to form a strong political force that will win the presidency after President Kibaki retires in 2012.
He said those who wish to run for elective positions on the ODM-K ticket must be ready to abide by the party’s rules.
He reiterated that aspiring candidates must respect the provisions of the Elections Act during the party nominations.
Mr Musyoka, who is the party leader, sought to assure aspirants for various seats in his Ukambani region that party nominations would be free and fair and that he would not anoint anyone for any position.
Stringent rules
The new law, which was published on Friday by Justice minister Mutula Kilonzo to become operational, sets stringent rules for political parties, including prohibiting defections after party nominations.
“It is important for all us to follow the law because if certain candidates are given express nomination, we deny Kenyan voters a crucial voice in the whole electoral process,” he said during a fundraiser for Itoleka Girls’ Secondary School.
Additional reporting by Kitavi Mutua

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