ODM, URP woo voters amid talk of alliance

By STANDARD TEAM

Although they held their presidential campaigns hundreds of kilometres away from each other they stole national attention because of revelations they met last Tuesday to explore political collaboration.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga was in Dandora, Nairobi, swamped by a sea of humanity as he strove to stamp his foot on Nairobi’s Metropolitan grounds, while Ruto was in the historic Tononoka Grounds, Mombasa.

Regarding Raila, the man he fell out with after the hotly contested 2007 elections in which he rallied his Rift Valley voting bloc behind the PM, Ruto said: “I will continue talking to all leaders on peaceful elections, non-divisive and issue based politics, but I know ODM and Tinga well and I cannot go back there.”

He declared meetings with other leaders would continue, arguing that during the election period such meetings were inevitable.

The URP presidential hopeful, however, maintained he would not cede his presidential ambition and would go to the full stretch.

As Ruto appeared to reinforce and build on the Tuesday surprise meeting with Raila, the PM told his supporters in Nairobi that his party was now headed for “real power”, away from the power-sharing deal it was forced into with President Kibaki in 2008.

The PM reiterated Orange Democratic Movement’s victory in 2007 elections was “stolen”, adding that they were forced into a “marriage” by the resulting circumstances.

“We have persevered for almost five years now. Five years are now coming to an end and we are going back to the field,” he added.

The two are said to have met last week at the residence of a businessman with strong ties with the former Kanu regime, triggering a flurry of reactions.

Raila, who has not commented on the meeting with Ruto, veered off what is the subject of heated political debate in the country at the moment.

The meeting at Dandora was significant as it came hot on the heels of allegedly inciting remarks issued by Water Assistant minister Ferdinand Waituti, who represents Embakasi Constituency under which Dandora falls, against members of the Masai community. The MP who belongs to Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s party, The National Alliance (TNA) is facing hate-speech charges over his eviction order against the Masai.

The PM also appeared to have his sights trained not only at Waititu, but Uhuru — whose party has made inroads in the city’s politics — as part of the race for seats that are up for grabs in the country’s capital next year.

To this effect, Raila brought to the rally two prominent ODM aspirants for the city’s governor seat: former Nairobi Town Clerk Phillip Kisia and ex-Mumias Sugar Company chief executive Dr Evans Kidero.

Ruto told his supporters he would enter into talks with other leaders for the sole purpose of ensuring a peaceful election.

Ruto was categorical that whereas Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) had genuine concerns, their approach was wrong and that he was equally opposed to their secessionist threats.