Photo/JENNIFER MUIRURI/NATION Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka (centre) meets with Uhuru Kenyatta (right) and William Ruto at the Norfolk Hotel on February 17, 2012.
By OLIVER MATHENGE omathenge@ke.nationmedia.com and PETER LEFTIE pmutibo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Friday, February 17 2012 at 22:30
Posted Friday, February 17 2012 at 22:30
Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka on Friday met Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP Wiliam Ruto in an effort to salvage the G7 Alliance.
The three politicians met at the Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi for talks the VP described as “candid”.
Addressing the media after the three-hour meeting, the three said they were united and sought to play down reports of a break-up.
Earlier on Friday, Mr Musyoka’s allies had vowed to forge ahead with his presidential bid after it was reported that Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto had dumped him.
Kangundo MP Johnstone Muthama, Machakos Town MP Victor Munyaka and Mwala MP Daniel Muoki talked tough, declaring that the VP’s push to become Kenya’s fourth president was unstoppable.
“The VP is unmoved, he will soldier on. There is no panic in the camp notwithstanding what has happened. It is the people of Kenya who will elect or reject him in the next election,” said Mr Muoki.
Mr Muthama, who was accused by Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto’s camps of uttering unsavoury remarks against the two at last Sunday’s G7 Alliance rally in Machakos Town, said Mr Musyoka would push ahead with his campaign with or without G7 Alliance support. (READ: Unite or forget top seat, G7 leaders told)
“It is true Kalonzo has been abandoned by Uhuru and Ruto, he has no choice but to forge ahead,” he said.
They were speaking a day after Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto led over 90 MPs in announcing at a meeting at Sagret Hotel in Nairobi that they would forge a new alliance without Mr Musyoka. (READ: VP left out of new Uhuru-Ruto line-up)
The meeting was dominated by calls to sideline Mr Musyoka on grounds that he planned to take advantage of the cases facing Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to position himself as the G7 Alliance presidential torch-bearer.
“There is a feeling that Mr Musyoka is deliberately not censuring Wiper secretary-general Mutula Kilonzo.
“It was, therefore, decided that we will negotiate with him like we will be doing with others outside our alliance,” said an MP who was at the meeting but was unwilling to be identified.
He added: “Most MPs felt that if, indeed, Mutula is not speaking for Kalonzo, why hasn’t the VP publicly censured him? Some MPs also complained bitterly about Mr Muthama’s utterances at the Machakos rally.”
Mr Kilonzo has said Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto cannot contest the presidency after being charged by the ICC with crimes against humanity. (READ: ICC ruling splits Kibaki's coalition wing)
But the two have said that the Constitution allows them to contest unless all avenues of appeals are exhausted.
At Friday’s Norfolk meeting, Mr Musyoka, Mr Uhuru and Mr Ruto declined to respond to questions on the issue.
“We have had issues though some of them have been blown out of proportion. In politics, issues are bound to crop up but being the leaders we are, nothing is beyond us.
"We are committed to that higher goal of uniting this country and ensuring there is cohesion. We assure you that you are going to see that team that you have been seeing before,” Mr Ruto said.
Mr Kenyatta spoke the same language. “We have said from the beginning that we are out to unite Kenyans.
"Our collective objectives far exceed any individual or personal objective. We do have issues but we will solve them,” he said.
Mr Musyoka thanked his colleagues for “clarifying issues” and said they would remain united to the end.
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