Raila’s answer to Uhuru-Ruto pact

By PETER OPIYO

Prime Minister Raila Odinga is pinning his hopes on turning the tide against his deputy Mr Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto on an alliance with two former allies.

The flurry of activity towards this end has intensified because the December 4 deadline for parties to deposit their pre-election agreements with the electoral body is just days away.

The urgency has also heightened because the question of who will be candidate and running mate in Uhuru-Ruto coalition has already been decided and the only major post available is that of Leader of Majority Party in Parliament. This is the post that the two dangled before Kalonzo and Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa before they decided to try their chances out of the G7 Alliance. 

Orange Democratic Movement’s insiders reveal the party’s plan is to ensure Raila’s two most high-profiled former allies, who are also in the race but have expressed interest in either teaming up with him or with the Uhuru-Ruto team, do actually work with ODM.

The urgency in the party to win over Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi gathered momentum when it became clear Ruto had settled on being Uhuru’s running mate, through a deal to be signed next Tuesday.

Last evening the PM was seeking Kibwezi MP Philip Kaloki to get an update on the progress of the talks between Kalonzo’s Wiper Democratic Movement and ODM.

The meeting was also meant to have Kaloki help Kangundo MP Johnstone Muthama in selling ODM and WDM union in Eastern region.

It is understood WDM will also appoint point-men who would guide the talks between the two parties as ODM also comes up with a similar team. Already Public Service Minister Dalmas Otieno and Lands Minister James Orengo are said to be working behind the scenes to hammer out a deal to counter the Uhuru-Ruto alliance.

This is part of the party’s bigger strategy of ensuring Ruto and Uhuru, who are facing grave crimes against humanity charges, remain the only political heavyweights in The National Alliance and United Republican Party coalition.

Back Raila

In Eldoret Wednesday, Ruto gave three reasons why he would not back Raila and three more grounds why he chose to work with Uhuru. Ruto, who was meeting Kalenjin elders to explain the basis for his support for Uhuru like in 2002 when both were in Kanu, gave three reasons why he abandoned Raila. He claimed Raila left him to suffer on his own as he battled charges by ICC.

With the certainty Uhuru and Ruto have paired up, leaders coalescing around Raila and Kalonzo went for joint rallies and only last week they shared a platform in Machakos during which Lands minister James Orengo made the all-telling statement: “We have come here to appeal to you to look ahead. The Kalonzo-Raila team is the only one that can deliver the country across River Jordan.”

Muthama, who was the host, said the PM had assured him he was ready to sacrifice his ambition for the presidency in favour of Kalonzo in order to beat the G7 Alliance.

Muthama hit out at Uhuru and Ruto for allegedly humiliating Kalonzo by offering him the Majority Leader position in their coalition yet as the Vice President he was their senior.

ODM secretary general Prof Anyang Nyong’o told the rally that Wiper leaders had agreed to encourage Kalonzo and Raila to sit together and lead the country after Kibaki. ODM sources reveal the intensity of attempts to get Kalonzo on board are not only aimed at boosting Raila’s chances but reducing TNA-URP into a coalition led by two people facing serious crimes against humanity charges at The Hague.

The party also wants to take advantage of disquiet the TNA-URP alliance has elicited among some of Ruto supporters, particularly in the Rift Valley where he had promised he would remain in the race to the end.

An MP who sought anonymity said ODM is keen on bringing Mudavadi back into the fold through Kalonzo. On Tuesday, MPs allied to Kalonzo held a media briefing and said they would finalise a deal with Mudavadi’s United Democratic Front but did not rule out talks with other parties.

But ODM is also said to be wary of what they consider Kalonzo’s wavering nature and is on the sideline working on winning his supporters just in case the VP dismisses any alliance with them. This could explain why Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo and Muthama have been consistently holding joint rallies with ODM MPs.

ODM is banking on Mutula and Muthama, owing to their influence, to work out a deal that would see Kalonzo on board. Mutula is against the candidature of Uhuru and Ruto and would not support the VP should he choose to go that way.

On a local television show Wednesday, the Education Minister said he would not support Kalonzo should he choose to work with Uhuru and Ruto. “We are keen on getting support from the VP, Mudavadi and Wamalwa. So we are working behind the scenes to make this possible,” said another MP.

Coast Parliamentary Group Chairman and Malindi MP, Gideon Mung’aro said his party ODM was not scared of TNA-URP deal and insisted the party was working on a formidable force.

Most MPs were however guarded on the finer details of their strategy saying it would jeopardise the talks and appear as betrayal to senior partners. “Of course ODM has a strategy. We have been watching closely but I can’t give you the details now, I will be betraying our colleagues,” said an MP, who out of fear of reprisal in the party, insisted his name be left out.

This development puts the VP in a delicate situation as Uhuru and Ruto are also keen on roping him into their alliance because of the fear that if he is left out, he would team up with Raila.