Kalonzo: I will shelve my ambition under 'structured' dialogue
Wiper boss Kalonzo Musyoka says he is ready to shelve his presidential ambition under ‘structured’ negotiations.
Mr Musyoka also admitted that despite his tough demands, he has no option but to work with the ODM party leader in the race to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta, slamming the door for joining the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
“If it comes to that conclusion with all the three pillars, I will be happy to support anybody, even Mr Odinga, but we could come up with somebody else,” said Mr Musyoka in an interview with NTV on Tuesday evening.
Even as he maintains that the former Prime Minister has to honour their 2017 agreement to back him in the August General Election, Mr Musyoka said his party and One Kenya Alliance (OKA) have resolved that he works with Mr Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja.
“After deep consultations, my own party and also One Kenya Alliance (OKA) has agreed to a three-pillar structure. We are ready to work within a grand coalition of Azimio and OKA. Indeed, the party leader of Jubilee himself has come out to pronounce on that particular formation. Therefore, that is a bigger consideration within that framework. So, we have no option but to work with Mr Odinga,” Mr Musyoka added.
Speaking from the two sides of his mouth, the former Vice President believes that if the negotiations, which they have kicked off with Azimio, is based on his 2017 secret deal with former premier, then Mr Odinga will not be on the ballot.
"If it is not honoured, the talks would collapse," he said.
However, Mr Musyoka said that if the agreement is not considered, his willingness to continue with Mr Odinga is based on the fact that ‘the country is bigger than them’.
“This document must form the basis of further negotiations. If it does, then Mr Odinga does not have any option but to follow it. If he refuses, then he would be compounding a trust deficit, which has been the problem that brought about the collapse of National Super Alliance (Nasa),” he said.
He went ahead: “However, we will cross that bridge when we come to it. Nothing prevents my good friend, brother Odinga, from recognising this agreement, and asking to be my running mate.
"What is wrong with that?” he posed
Mr Musyoka also defended his decision to divulge the secret deal with the ODM chief saying that he was calling upon national leaders to remain responsible and committed on pertinent issues.
“The personal statement I issued was of paramount importance and I was calling on national leaders to be responsible, particularly when they commit themselves to certain obligations. Because I saw Mr Odinga getting nominated and accepting to run as the ODM presidential candidate yet again, which goes against the letter and spirit of the agreement we signed between him and myself,” he said.
“Where Mr Odinga now is saying he is running again, he is in breach of a prominent article where he committed to whether we win or lose in 2017. He committed not to run and more importantly to support our candidature,” he added.
Mr Musyoka said that Mr Odinga has the option of abiding by the terms of what he called a “binding legal agreement” or of choosing to act in utter defiance.
On Chama Cha Kazi (CCK) leader Moses Kuria’s condition that he is only joining OKA as long as they are not supporting Mr Odinga, the Wiper boss asked him to come on board without any conditions.
“I cannot agree with Mr Kuria on that one. If he comes to OKA, it will be without those conditions. No condition whatsoever and he knows that,” he said.
