Raila in crisis talks as rivals woo ministers

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Photo/STEPHEN MUDIARI Prime Minister Raila Odinga (left) chats Orange Democratic Movement party members, Ababu Namwamba, Joseph Nkaisery and William Ole Ntimama after the meeting in Naivasha, October 5th, 2012. The members present unanimously endorsed Prime Minister Raila Odinga as the party's presidential candidate.  

By JULIUS SIGEI jsigei@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Friday, October 5  2012 at  23:30

IN SUMMARY

• Ngilu hosts Uhuru and Wamalwa at graduation party, while Ruto wants Bett, Kosgei and Sirma to join URP
• Water Minister Charity Ngilu on Friday invited TNA leader Uhuru Kenyatta to her graduation ceremony, fuelling speculation that she was plotting to dump ODM for the G7 Alliance.
  Mrs Ngilu hosted Mr Kenyatta and Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa of New-Ford Kenya to her graduation party and said she was ready to work with all leaders.
  Mr Kenyatta and Mr Wamalwa said the Narc leader, who recently expressed support for Raila Odinga’s ODM, could repeat her 2002 feat when she successfully brought together President Kibaki and the then Ford-Kenya leader Wamalwa Kijana under Narc.
  “Ya Mungu ni mengi huenda ikawa, (you cannot predict God’s plan),” was all Mr Kenyatta said when asked about the meeting.
  This came as Mr Odinga was holed up in crisis talks with his Orange party officials in Naivasha to stem defections and plan for the polls.
  At the same time, Eldoret North MP William Ruto will welcome Sotik MP Joyce Laboso to URP tomorrow. Mr Ruto has also been wooing Cabinet ministers Sally Kosgei, Musa Sirma and Franklin Bett to solidify his support base in Rift Valley five months to the General Election.
  Also being targeted in the region are Defence assistant minister Joseph Nkaissery and MPs Gideon Konchellah (Kilgoris) and Nkoidila ole Lankas (Narok South).
  Gen (rtd) Nkaissery and Mr Lankas are Mr Odinga’s allies, while Mr Konchellah, the PNU chairman, has been see-sawing between Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and James ole Kiyiapi’s presidential bids.
  The G7 alliance members, who are united in blocking Mr Odinga from ascending to the presidency, are under pressure to keep their regions under wraps.
  “We want to keep the (Rift Valley) region under lock and key. We want to have an edge,” said a source who could not be named because he’s not authorised to speak to the media.
  Other sources told the Saturday Nation that Mr Sirma plans to defect “at a rally in Eldama Ravine next week”.
  Speculation about Mr Sirma’s move first emerged when he visited Mr Ruto at his Nairobi home on Tuesday.
  Speculation was also rife that Dr Kosgey could join URP.
  On Friday, Roads Minister Franklin Bett sensationally claimed he had been falsely accused of helping recruit members to other parties and warned that he was weighing his political options.
  “I am considering four options,” Mr Bett said from Naivasha, where he was attending the ODM strategy retreat.
  “I can leave politics altogether; I can vie for a county seat at home on ODM, I can work for the party without vying for any position or I can decamp to another party.”
  The statement by Mr Bett, who had only last week vowed he was in ODM “24/7” during a rally also addressed by Mr Odinga in Bomet is likely to send shockwaves in the PM’s campaign.
  However, Energy assistant minister Magerer Lang’at insisted he was firmly in ODM because he did not fear competition. He told Mr Ruto to expect a tough challenge from the Orange brigade. “The guy (Mr Ruto) can exert pressure and instill fear, but let him expect a battle of titans,” he said.

  “If he is that strong, why does he need Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka?”

  Additional reporting by John Njagi, Geoffrey Rono and Tom Matoke