Kalonzo explains why he teamed up with PM

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By JOHN NJAGI jnjagi@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Monday, December 17  2012 at  00:30

IN SUMMARY

• Wiper party leader says he joined Raila in Cord to heal the nation and bring unity ahead of poll

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Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka on Sunday explained why he teamed up with ODM’s Raila Odinga in a coalition, and pointed out that he was still keen on succeeding President Kibaki.

He said his union with the Prime Minister in Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) was meant to heal the nation, and asked his supporters not to read betrayal in the deal.

He said although they had differed politically before their union, he had forgiven Mr Odinga for the sake of national unity.

“Even when I joined President Kibaki after the last elections, people called me a traitor and hurled all manner of insults at me. We must put the interests of the country first and learn forgiveness,” he said at Pentecostal Church of East Africa at Riruta in Nairobi.

The Vice President expressed what he perceived as fear among his supporters that he was unlikely to succeed President Kibaki after joining Cord.

He said he noted the pessimism when he declared that he wanted to take over the reins of power during a tour of Nyeri last week. The declaration was received coldly, he said.

“I read fear on that day that due to my alliance with ODM, people thought there was no realistic chance I could succeed President Kibaki,” he said.

“But for the sake of the country’s healing, people have to embrace even those whom people thought they would not work together,” he added.

Cord, which includes Moses Wetang’ula’s Ford-Kenya and other small parties, is expected to announce its presidential flag bearer on Saturday.

According to sources within the coalition, there will be a two-day retreat by the two parties’ top organs to agree on the candidate’s name before the deal is made public at a major rally at the weekend.

Mr Musyoka reiterated that Cord would help bring home cases facing Jubilee Alliance’s Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto and two other Kenyans if they win the poll. The cases are pending at the ICC in The Hague.

Mr Musyoka was severely criticised for leading the infamous shuttle diplomacy to lobby the UN to let the suspects be tried locally.