Raila meets Kalonzo in Mombasa amid Uhuru-led Azimio overtures
ODM leader Raila Odinga (left) and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka. Mr Musyoka has indicated he is ready to work with Mr Odinga but will only sign a water-tight coalition agreement.
Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga Sunday morning held a breakfast meeting with his One Kenya Alliance (OKA) counterpart Kalonzo Musyoka amid the latter’s admission of a President Uhuru Kenyatta-led charm offensive for him to join the former premier in the August presidential contest.
After the meeting, the two teams embarked on separate campaign rallies within the county.
Details of the meeting remained scanty, but coming just days after Mr Musyoka admitted to a President Kenyatta-led overtures for him to join the Azimio train, the Mombasa breakfast was telling.
Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka met at Tamarind Hotel hours before holding political rallies at Tononoka grounds in Mvita and Kadongo grounds in Kisauni respectively.
Mr Musyoka confirmed meeting with Mr Odinga and wished him well in his campaign in Coast region.
“We had earlier planned to hold our rally at Tononoka grounds but our colleagues of Azimio booked the venue earlier. We met with Mr Odinga this morning and I wish them well in their rally this afternoon as we hold our rally in Kisauni,” said Mr Musyoka.
In the breakfast meeting, Mr Musyoka was accompanied by Machkaos Senator Agnes Kavindu, Embakasi South MP Musili Mawathe, Makali Mulwa (Kitui) Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo, and former MP Kiema Kilonzo among others.
In an interview after the breakfast meeting with a local station, Mr Musyoka said he is ready to talk to any party or coalition as long as they are ready to fight corruption and improve the lives of Kenyans.
“Every time Kenyans keep on asking me if I will join other coalitions but what I can tell them is we want them to come with their manifestos and scrutinize them before having any agreement. What I can insist is, OKA will not go for them this time but its them to come for us,” the Wiper leader said.
He added: “In OKA, we have remained strong and with Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua joining us after Amani National Congress (ANC) and Ford Kenya leaders left the team, we have had new face where women are represented.”
Mr Odinga on his part said Azimio la Umoja parties will have a consensus on where to field candidates to ensure they win majority of votes across the country.
“We are doing well in our alliance and each party is preparing for nominations but before that, we shall meet as parties and agree where each party to field its candidates depending on their stronghold. We want to garner more votes across the country right from ward representative, National Assembly, Senate and governor positions,” said Mr Odinga.
According to sources within OKA and Azimio, the two alliances have agreed to intensify their campaigns as they chat way forward on their future political alliance.
Apart from holding their rallies in Mombasa on Sunday about five kilometers apart, the two alliances are expected to hold simultaneous political rallies in Kwale County on Monday before moving to Taita-Taveta County.
