By Martin Mutua
IN NAIROBI, KENYA: Speculation as to an alliance between Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka intensified after Kangundo MP Johnstone Muthama shared a platform with Raila on Sunday.
Mr Muthama, a close ally of Kalonzo, joined Raila to watch a match between Gor Mahia and Tusker FC at the City Stadium in Nairobi, signaling that the VP could be gravitating towards ODM.
When contacted, Muthama said the Wiper Democratic party just like others in the presidential race was free to negotiate with anyone.
“We have been taken for granted for a long time and the time to change the political direction of this country is now and we want to kill this thing called tribalism once and for all,” said Muthama without elaborating.
He, however, pointed out that the wiper party had already mandated Kalonzo to negotiate with other presidential candidates and urging Raila to come together with the VP was not anything new.
And Kalonzo’s personal assistant Kaplich Barsito told The Standard on Sunday that the VP was keen to reach out to all political leaders in order to ensure victory with a wide margin.
“The Vice-President is the best bet for the next president and he wants to complete the task of healing and reconciliation as well as implementation of the Constitution and also fast track economic growth,” he said.
Another Kalonzo ally, Nominated MP Mohammed Affey, said the party was open to negotiations with others although they had the best presidential candidate.
“When one is (as) experienced as Kalonzo with a good public record and already part of the presidency it is only fair that Kenyans give him a chance to lead,” he added.
Storm over Raila visit
Muthama kicked up a storm last week when he hosted Raila in his Kangundo Constituency when the PM made a tour of the area and later hosted him for a luncheon at his home in Tala.
During the visit on Thursday, the ODM party leader addressed rallies at Tala market and Kangundo town before briefly visiting the rural home of veteran politician and late freedom fighter Paul Ngei in Mbilini.
Apart from Muthama, Raila was accompanied by Lands Minister James Orengo and former Kibwezi MP Kalembe Ndile.
Muthama called on Kalonzo and Raila to unite ahead of next year’s General Election, saying the two leaders have to agree who between them will make a stab at the presidency.
“Three months to the 2007 elections, I went to Raila and asked him not to part with Kalonzo. I told him that if the two of you separate, that is the end of both of you,” he said.
During the visit, Orengo backed calls for Raila and Kalonzo to work together, saying the VP was being sidelined the same way Kenyatta sidelined Ngei who had helped him ascend to power.
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