Leaders prop Mudavadi as compromise candidate

By Mosoku Geoffrey

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta may forego his presidential ambition and support his ally Musalia Mudavadi.

Sources close to Uhuru indicate the DPM and Eldoret North MP William Ruto are considering Mudavadi as a compromise candidate should they not run, to counter Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka’s coalition.

Uhuru’s camp is worried about the pending International Criminal Court cases and a likelihood that rivals may campaign against his alliance with Ruto by declaring it a coalition of two tribes. Insiders compared possible nomination of Mudavadi to a gambling game where a rival unleashes the ‘joker’ when one thought the game is about to end.   

 “All we are looking for is a winning formulae. If it means supporting Mudavadi so be it,” a close aide to Uhuru said adding that the DPM, Ruto and Mudavadi will have to agree among themselves.

The aide said Uhuru/Ruto team are convinced that the international community may be determined to block the duo from ascending to power allegedly by threatening sanctions should the two vie. He cited recent remarks by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who said that he was right to be involved in the Kenyan electoral process under AU mandate having played a key role in bringing peace after bungled 2007 General Election.

Uhuru has several times criticised Annan, telling him to keep off Kenya’s affairs. TNA team believes Annan speaks on behalf of some Western powers.

The group also believes that nominating Mudavadi will ensure the about two million Luhya votes will be firmly in their basket and that Uhuru and Ruto will be able to mobilise their supporters to clinch the presidency and majority of parliamentary and Senate seats.

Big surprise

URP spokesperson and a key Ruto-ally Aden Duale hinted at the possibility of Mudavadi candidature. He said in the coming five or six days, there will be a major announcement that will surprise the country.

“I am not saying for now whether it’s Uhuru or Mudavadi but in a week’s time, we will be able to give this country a clear direction. I am telling you it will be a big surprise. We are determined to ensure that the person who is nominated is a winner and Raila does not become next president,” Duale added.

TNA secretary general Onyango Oloo denied that the coalition had made a decision on presidential candidate insisting that the team will stick to coalition agreement signed on Tuesday evening.

“The three coalition parties have two weeks to dialogue and agree on the nomination method. You should not be misled that we have a preferred candidate,” Onyango added.

Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito said both Mudavadi and Uhuru will go through a nomination exercise in accordance with their coalition agreement. The winner will be nominated as presidential candidate with the loser becoming leader of majority.

However, he said the three leaders will find a way of reaching a compromise.

“Uhuru, Mudavadi and Ruto are bedfellows. They always have a way of working together and I can assure you that all of them will be in Government,” Kizito added.

Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny said the line-up is not likely to change arguing that Mudavadi will technically become leader of majority.

“This joint ticket will not change. Mudavadi will be leader of majority taking plus 34 per cent of government positions. TNA and URP will have 33 per cent each as part of the compromise to include him in the alliance,” Kutuny added.

Free and fair

On Tuesday, Uhuru drove to Mudavadi’s Riverside home in the morning hours in the company of Ruto, Cabinet minister Chirau Mwakere and Mvita MP Najib Balala and spent several hours to convince him to join their alliance.

This is after Mudavadi became adamant that his name will be on ballot papers and at one point, according to highly placed sources, the team had to seek the intervention of President Kibaki who was in Mombasa.

It’s after Kibaki’s call that the DPM softened his stand and accepted to join the two on condition that the nomination is free and fair.

“There was no conversation of that nature with the president and whoever is telling you that is trying to spin some propaganda,” Mudavadi’s spokesman Kibisu Kabatesi said. 

He further said that the fact that Uhuru’s team had met the DPM at his Riverside home does not mean the UDF leader was not willing to cede ground.

“There is nothing strange with people talking whether it’s in the DPM house. They still could have met elsewhere and have those discussions. After all, Mudavadi’s house is not strange to any of the leaders. This was a process which has been on going until it was concluded Wednesday (Tuesday),” added Kabatesi.

On Tuesday, shortly after the TNA/URP/UDF officials signed pact, Mudavadi who is the Sabatia MP declared that by accepting to be enjoined with his colleagues, their combination will ensure elections are won in frst round.

“We want this game to end in the first 90 minutes. We will not play iextra time,” he said saying the country needs leadership that will unite the people.

“Let those who want to be engaged in insults do so but for us it will be ideas on how to transform the lives of Kenyans,” the DPM declared.