Kanu backs Raila for top job, says Gideon

  SHARE BOOKMARKPRINTEMAILRATING

Jacob Owiti | Nation Kanu Chairman Gideon Moi addresses a rally at Gaena, Ndhiwa, where he drummed up support for his party’s candidate, Mr Tom Alila, ahead of the Monday by-election. 

By MAURICE KALUOCH Mrcaluoch207@gmail.com AND JUSTUS WANGA jwanga@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Thursday, September 13  2012 at  21:00

IN SUMMARY

• Former ruling party expects ODM support for its man in the Ndhiwa by-election to cement new relationship

Kanu chairman Gideon Moi on Thursday rekindled memories of the cooperation between his father and Prime Minister Raila Odinga by declaring support for the premier’s bid for State House.

Gideon said Kanu would not field a presidential candidate in the March 4 General Election — the second time in five years.

“Kanu and ODM stand to benefit from this kind of an arrangement in as far as the future governance of this country is concerned,” Mr Moi said while campaigning for the Kanu candidate Tom Otieno in Ndhiwa constituency.

But he said the decision would have to be ratified by the party’s delegates.

Gideon replaced deputy PM Uhuru Kenyatta as the leader of the independence party early this year after the latter founded The Party of National Unity (TNA).

At the time, Mr Moi accused Mr Kenyatta of weakening Kanu so that it could be ‘swallowed by another party’.

Kanu secretary-general Nick Salat said a national delegates congress will endorse the decision next month.

Mr Odinga’s NDP merged with Kanu in 2001, bringing to an end decades of hostility between President Moi rule and Mr Odinga, whom he detained three time for seditious activities.

Mr Odinga was elected Kanu secretary general, but left the party before the 2002 General Election when Mr Moi endorsed Mr Kenyatta to succeed him.

Share This Story

  

“Asking for a small seat like that of an MP will not be too much especially if we have the bigger picture in mind. The election of Mr Otieno in Ndhiwa will only cement that relationship,” Gideon said.

Mr Salat, said the two parties would win the General Election.

“If Kanu and ODM rally behind a single candidate, a win is guaranteed at the ballot,” Mr Salat said.

Gideon said electing Mr Otieno on a Kanu ticket would break the cycle of voting for candidates on the strength of their parties and not their individual ability to serve Kenyans.

“The people of Ndhiwa shall have demonstrated that they truly have embraced diversity if they elect Mr Tom Otieno,” he told supporters at Kobodo, Mirogi and Gaena.

He paid tribute to former MP Orwa Ojodeh, whom he described as a man of the people.

The rallies were attended by Mr Washington Kalee, Mr James Omamo and Mr Robinson Onyando, who lost the ODM primaries to Mr Agostinho Neto.

The trio dismissed last week’s threats by the ODM secretary-general Anyang’ Nyong’o to suspend them from the party for supporting Mr Otieno.

This comes barely two days after Mr Kenyatta declared that he would work with Mr Odinga after the elections. Mr Kenyatta was in the area campaigning for TNA candidate Rose Atieno.

In July, the former president and Mr Odinga met at a church function in Kabarak, sparking speculation that they had discussed politics.

They denied the claims, saying the meeting was coincidental.

In the last election, Kanu supported President Kibaki after Mr Kenyatta stepped down to support him.