CORD leaders retreat to plan for 2017 elections

CORD co-principals Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula head to Kisumu tomorrow.

They will lead governors, their deputies and Members of Parliament  in a two-day voter mobilisation strategy conference in the lakeside city. The retreat is also expected to address row between some governors, and their deputies as well as jitters within the party rank and file following the declaration by some senators to vie for governorship.

Siaya Senator James Orengo confirmed that the meeting would be held at a Kisumu hotel where the coalition will seek to raise stakes to win  in the 2017 General Election.

“Yes we are heading into a serious meeting as we start preparations for the General Election and it will be attended by CORD co-principals Raila, Kalonzo and Wetangula,” Mr Orengo said.

“We want to define roles properly and harmonise what leaders will be doing as we prepare for voter registration. It will be a closed-door meeting,” he said. Raila’s spokesman Dennis Onyango confirmed that the ODM leader was headed to Kisumu for the conference.

“Yes there is the conference that brings together governors and deputy governors from CORD coalition to discuss pertinent issues  and lay strategies,” Mr Onyango said.

The meeting comes just days after President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto held a meeting with governors in Sagana State Lodge where they discussed, among other things, austerity measures to reduce county spending.

Sources confirmed the CORD leaders will use the opportunity to seek better ways to handle nominations which have led to fallout and  affected voter turnout in previous elections.

The move comes barely a fortnight after CORD urged governors to champion the drive for IDs and voter registration.

Raila had recently during the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Fidel Odinga joint memorial anniversary identified governors as key point persons in CORD’s vote hunting strategy. This will be the first such meeting bringing together governors from the coalition. The coalition cracked the whip on rebels who have openly campaigned for rival parties in by-elections. The rebels were replaced in crucial National Assembly committees. The coalition also extended an olive branch to disgruntled members  to return to mother parties ahead of 2017.

CORD co-principals will address rivalry which involves some of their closest allies including Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o, who is eyeing Kisumu gubernatorial seat, James Orengo, who wants to take the  Siaya governorshi, which has also attracted Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo.

In Kisumu, Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga is eyeing Governor Jack Ranguma’s seat. 

In Kakamega, Governor Wycliffe Oparanya will battle it out with Senator Bonny Khalwale while in Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho will face off against Senator Hassan Omar Hassan.

In Machakos, Governor Alfred Mutua has been toying with Mandeleo Chap Chap movement and is already locked up in a tussle with some Wiper members.