FORMER Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi has began discussions with President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta about the possibility of forming a post election coalition.
Mudavadi yesterday met 20 MPs and Senators elected under the Amani coalition and briefed them about his preliminary talks with Uhuru's team. They gave him the go-ahead to negotiate a new coalition.
Mudavadi was briefly in the Jubilee coalition but left to form the Amani coalition with Kanu and UDF parties. Mudavadi will be joined in the negotiations with Jubilee by former Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa.
The meeting picked Baringo Senator Gideon Moi to chair its Parliamentary Group and Roba Duba to be the secretary. Some Kanu members were concerned that URP leader William Ruto might not welcome their inclusion in a Jubilee government.
Ruto delivered the presidency to Uhuru Kenyatta after galvanizing massive support in the vote rich Rift Valley. His United Republican Party marshaled a high voter turn out in the region with almost all votes going to Jubilee to the surprise of his rivals.
Just two days before polling day on March 4, Ruto pleading with listeners on Kass FM not to let him down. "It's about our respect as a community and I urge you not embarrass me. Please vote for URP and Jubilee so that we win first round," said Ruto in Kalenjin.
At the same time, he went round all Rift constituencies pleading with voters to adopt a six piece voting pattern for Jubilee which he largely achieved.
Pollsters had predicted that the Cord coalition of Raila Odinga would garner about 35 percent of the votes in Rift Valley but he got less than 15 percent.
MP-elect for Keiyo South, Jackson Kiptanui, said the Kalenjin community had done itself proud by voting as a block for Jubilee and he attributes the achievement to Ruto's personal touch with voters.
"It has taken us more than two years to explain to our people on the political direction we had to take, and they heard us," said Kiptanui. Ruto got a majority for Jubilee in Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Baringo, West Pokot, Kericho and Bomet which are largely occupied by the Kalenjin sub tribes. The only win for Cord was in Turkana.
"We achieved the success we had desired and we will move ahead as a team,"said former Cheranganyi MP Joshua Kutunyi, who lost his seat but was a key Jubilee campaigner.
Even in area like Baringo and Pokot where Kanu had strong candidates, the presidential votes went to Uhuru as the Jubilee team edged out Cord and Amani.
The URP and Jubilee wave was strong enough to sweep out political veterans like ODM chairman Henry Kosgey who could not win the Senate seat in Nandi county.
"Our people were swept by the URP euphoria. For us who were seeking to win through other parties it was simply a tall order," said Andrew Tobosei, the Cord parliamnetary candidate for Moiben in Uasin Gishu.
The Deputy President-elect also asked elders in most areas to lead the community in backing Jubilee. "It's no longer a win for any group, it's a win for Kenyans and we are happy that all went on peacefully," said Major (Rtd) John Seii, one of the elders.
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