ODM allies want presidential candidate picked next year

ODM leader Raila Odinga’s allies want the Cord flag bearer picked in May next year, brushing aside Wiper Party chief Kalonzo Musyoka’s demand for the candidate to be agreed upon by December.

This came as Mr Odinga said there was no “emergency” to warrant a meeting of the coalition’s principals. He said Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula had told him there was no need for a formal meeting over the flag bearer issue.

“We meet all the time. I met Weta (Mr Wetang'ula) on Sunday night. There is no emergency to warrant a formal meeting,” he said on phone.

His allies argued that the May date would open room for more candidates, including Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi, who has expressed intention to work with the opposition coalition.

Last week, Mr Musyoka announced during a Wiper rally in Tononoka, Mombasa, that the Cord presidential flag bearer should be named by Christmas Day.

He further said on a TV station he will oppose all attempts to push the nomination of the flag bearer to next year. “I am totally opposed to that (next year’s nominations).”

NEXT YEAR

Mr Odinga said the nominations should be done in February or March next year.

On Tuesday, Orange party MPs Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja), Nicholas Gumbo (Rarieda), Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay Town) and Timothy Bosire (Kitutu Masaba), and Busia Woman Rep Florence Mutua called for patience. “There cannot be a deadline in politics. The political situation will continue to evolve until when the presidential candidates will be presenting their papers to the electoral commission and that will be around May next year,” said Mr Wandayi.

“Eight months is a very long time in politics,” he added.

Mr Odinga, Mr Musyoka and Mr Wetang’ula are fighting for the Cord ticket to face Jubilee’s President Uhuru Kenyatta in next year’s elections

Ms Mutua said the coalition was expecting more political heavyweights, including Mr Mudavadi, to fight for the Cord ticket.

“I am extremely pleased to have my brother Mudavadi join us. We welcome more partners to make a super alliance to send Jubilee home. So we have to give time for others to finalise their plans of joining us. Let’s stop the tantrums,” she said.

'SUPER ALLIANCE'

On Sunday, Mr Mudavadi indicated that he could team up with the three Cord principals to form “a super alliance” in a bid to dislodge Jubilee leaders from power.

“Soon we shall unveil a supper alliance and enter into a contest with Jubilee and win at 1pm. Watch this space,” Mr Mudavadi said during his tour of Kilifi County.

Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama argued that the three principals were stating their party positions.

He said the team in charge of the nominations is made up of him, his Siaya counterpart James Orengo and Tongaren MP Simiyu Eseli.

“The people who know and will give the official position of Cord on presidential nominations are us. We know who our presidential candidate is,” he said.

Mr Muthama and Mr Kaluma claimed that Cord was using the wrangle on the presidential candidate to throw Jubilee Party strategists off the course.