Wednesday, October 24, 2012

URP MPs set to vet Ruto offers


By Vitalis Kimutai
United Republican Party presidential aspirant William Ruto has a date with MPs affiliated to his party to table the offers for pre-election pacts he has received for evaluation.
The venue of the retreat is yet to be disclosed but several MPs confirmed they have been put on standby and are waiting to be told when and where.
The MPs, keen to ensure discussions on possible political alliances with other aspirants are controlled by party and not left to Ruto alone, will review his options over the weekend. Though Ruto has had discussions with Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Vice- President Kalonzo Musyoka, and Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, it is believed he is keen on teaming up with The National Alliance presidential aspirant, Uhuru Kenyatta.
However, this hasn’t gone down well with his traditional support base in the Rift Valley, a fact demonstrated during a morning radio show on Tuesday.
Most callers claimed Ruto had ‘auctioned’ them and questioned why he was seemingly in a hurry to drop his own bid to play second fiddle to Uhuru.
Kaloleni MP Kazungu Kambi, a confidant of Ruto, confirmed there would be a retreat for the MPs to speak on issues affecting the party and to bond so they can speak with one voice as they move towards the March 4 General Election.
 “We want a united country and that is why we will continue engaging other parties so that we have peaceful elections,” said Kazungu.
Turkana Central MP, Ekwee Ethuro, said they have not set a date, but they agreed they need a retreat to address emerging issues.
It also emerged the MPs will again meet next Wednesday to review the progress in the search for ‘dependable’ allies to team up with in the race to State House.
Sources also disclosed a rally earlier planned for Nakuru either this Friday or Saturday where Uhuru was to join Ruto as a sign of unity, may have been cancelled.
Sources close to Ruto revealed there was fear the meeting may be coming at the wrong time given it coincides with a groundswell against URP-TNA alliance in the Rift Valley, particularly among members of Ruto’s community.
Despite his confirmation in Nakuru over the weekend he was in talks with the ‘Son of Jomo’, it appeared nothing had been decided, and Ruto would first have to win the support of URP MPs, who mandated him to scout for alliances with other presidential aspirants. 
The decision by MPs to go for a retreat was made during a meeting on Monday at the Bible Society of Kenya Centre, Nairobi. URP Chairman, Francis Ole Kaparo, and Ruto convened the meeting.
“We are going for the retreat, but I cannot tell you where we will be meeting because it is a party secret,” said another Ruto ally, who refused to be quoted because this week they got gagging orders from the party. The order was seen as strategy to control the conflicting messages MPs were giving the Press, casting the party as divided and anxious about the political strategy, or lack of it, of their leader.
“We agreed that we are going to take a one-day retreat in an exclusive resort in a week’s time so that we openly discuss what is on the table and narrow down our choices and options to at least two,” said another leader, who attended the meeting.
Dujis MP Aden Duale, the URP spokesman, told The Standard the Monday meeting was not convened to discuss coalition matters, but was purely to deal with internal party issues to do with compliance with laws relating to political parties. “Nothing has been firmed so far in the engagements with any of the parties on a pre-election engagement with URP. Such talks will continue in a structured manner,” Duale said.
Duale said there was nothing strange with URP entering into pre-election coalitions with other parties, as it was provided for in law.
 “What should be made clear is that it is Ruto who is being sought by his competitors for a pact. Kalonzo, Mudavadi, and Uhuru have been visiting him for discussions,” Duale explained.
Duale said URP was keen on winning presidential election in the first round on its own, or with parties sharing, “similar ideals and like- minded leaders”.
“URP is going flat out to ensure it wins majority of Senate and parliamentary seats besides the presidency,” Kaparo said last week.
On Tuesday when asked to comment on the retreat, Kaparo responded with a question: “Why is it that people raise issues whenever URP meets with other players?”
He added: “We will hold meetings to deal with our internal party issues and other political issues on the national arena.”
Uhuru is said to have visited Ruto last Thursday, for a discussion on a TNA-URP pact while Mudavadi met him twice in a day a fortnight ago.
Being neighbours with Kalonzo in Karen, it is claimed that the two have held more than three meetings in last two weeks.
Raila and Ruto are also said to have met at the home of a prominent businessman where the PM offered Ruto the position of a running mate. The PM also offered to share with Ruto’s party Cabinet slots and senior government appointments.
URP has picked a team of key MPs to enter into structured negotiations with other parties on coalitions following the political developments ahead of the election. They are Cabinet ministers Chirau Mwakwre and Samuel Poghisio, and MPs Isaac Ruto, Charles Keter, Duale, Kambi, Ethuro, Kaparo, and the Eldoret North MP.
During the Monday meeting the URP MPs, according to sources, discussed the composition of National Election Board, which is set to be unveiled.
The MPs also resolved to install computers in constituency party offices to challenge of forwarding the names of registered party members to the office of Registrar of Political Parties.




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