State House Hand In Jubilee Fiasco

BY KIPNGENO CHERUIYOT
WEDNESDAY, 19 DECEMBER, 2012

Mudavadi secret deal signed on December 4 guaranteed him Jubilee presidential aspirant slot, but Uhuru says he was coerced by powerful forces to cede position to fellow Deputy Prime Minister

The hidden hand of powerful figures linked to State House became evident in the fiasco that has exploded in the Jubilee coalition, as Deputy Prime Ministers Uhuru Kenyatta and Musalia Mudavadi differed sharply in public. Yesterday, when the coalition was scheduled to pick its presidential flag bearer, but it failed to materialise, it emerged there was pressure from influential persons to force Uhuru to step down for Mudavadi. Mudavadi was the first to claim he and Uhuru had signed a deal before their lawyers, in which the latter had agreed to hand him the presidential baton. But, in a quick rejoinder, Uhuru claimed he had been coerced into signing the deal. The developments evoked an earlier claim denied by President Kibaki, that State House operatives were urging Uhuru to abandon his bid in favour of Mudavadi. The secret deal had been signed on December 4.

At a press conference in Nairobi, Mudavadi said Uhuru had agreed to step down in his favour. He said they signed an agreement in the presence of their lawyers and Jubilee Alliance member William Ruto in which Uhuru relinquished the presidential ticket to him. “On the critical question of the presidential candidate, Uhuru stated categorically that he had been reflecting on the state of affairs in the country and found it necessary to make a major personal sacrifice,” he said. He added: “That after consultation, he had decided to withdraw his candidature and wished to support me as the coalition candidate for president.” But while addressing TNA delegates at Multi-Media University College, Uhuru said he was under duress from “evil forces” to sign the deal, which apparently was a gentleman’s agreement not forwarded to the Registrar of Political Parties. He said unnamed people had coerced him to cede ground to Mudavadi or break an earlier pact with UDF leader, Ruto, to accommodate Mudavadi as his running mate.

“They wanted Ruto to move away then they take over. I volunteered to move since all the work we had done to bring peace with Ruto would have gone to waste. My intentions were clear they were not selfish, but to foster national cohesion,” said Uhuru. The DPM, however, did not name the forces he termed as “evil”. TNA delegates had earlier insisted any decision between Uhuru and another candidate must have their approval. The scenario now leaves the cord holding the Jubilee coalition together hanging loosely even as Uhuru and Mudavadi expressed optimism that a solution would be found before expiry of the period sought from the Registrar of Political Parties to put its house in order.

The People also established that a boardroom decision may be in the offing, with the Leader of Majority position getting more positions. In the press conference, Mudavadi was accompanied by Mandera Central MP Abdikadir Mohammed, Ndaragwa counterpart Jeremiah Kioni, assistant minister Nderitu Mureithi, nominated MP George Nyamweya and Kanu Secretary General Nick Salat among other party officials. Following the agreement, he said they gave Uhuru time to explain his decision to pull-out of the presidential race to his supporters. “Given the magnitude of the deci- sion, we acceded to Uhuru’s request that we give him time to explain the background, and the contents of our agreement to members of his party and make it public,” said Mudavadi.

Boardroom decision

He said Uhuru proposed they each get a lawyer to jointly work on an instrument to affirm their agreement. He said the work was done in Uhuru’s residence in the presence of Ruto. “Whereas his lawyer proposed a memorandum of understanding which would guide the choosing of candidate, my brother Uhuru asserted that a clear and firm agreement would be a more solid basis of building trust,” he said. He said two weeks after they signed the deal they have studious remained silent awaiting Uhuru to fulfill his part of explaining the deci- sion to his supporters. He said this has been in vain. Mudavadi said the conference being organised to pick a presidential candidate was not part of the deal, the reason his party has remained silent in the raging debate over the matter. “...our silence on the matter is being painted as reluctance to submit to a democratic process. To us in UDF, this demand is a clear breach of an agreement that exists.”

He said hardliners within the coalition ranks should be set aside and key leaders hold deliberations to resolve the matter. “We will continue with intense consultations we have been holding with my brothers Uhuru and Ruto,” he concluded. But Uhuru said it was apparent that his base was not buying the deal with Mudavadi. “Musalia and Ruto can ably lead Kenya. However, when I put the issue before members of our parliamentary group they rejected it and you the delegates the decision you make will be binding on me,” said Uhuru. He said his “tuko pamoja” rallies and the eventual decision to have Ruto as his running mate had pacified the Rift Valley after years of mutual suspicion and recurrent violence during elections mainly between Kikuyus and Kalenjins.