Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula now says Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka should be ruled out of the Opposition coalition’s ticket because they have run in the big race before and failed.
Wetang’ula introduced the new ‘criteria’ that he believes should be a key consideration by a team working to select Coalition for Reforms and Democracy’s presidential candidate and which he hoped will bolster his bid to become the coalition’s flag bearer in next year’s elections.
Raila and Kalonzo lost to President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto in 2013, but earlier, Raila had unsuccessfully run for president in 1997 and in 2007, when Kalonzo, too, made his first and only unsuccessful bid for high office.
Yesterday, Wetang’ula argued he was the best suited to deliver victory for the Opposition that is still undecided on a formula for picking its presidential candidate.
“I have been quite categorical. My brothers have run before and I am the one who has not been tested and whose political tricks have not been let out of the bag yet.”
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He added: “I am the one who has given them an assurance that I will be able to deliver a stronger punch against Jubilee and deliver victory for our coalition, which will be the victory for the country. The person who can do that is Wetang’ula.”
But Wetang’ula agreed with Kalonzo that CORD should pick the candidate by consensus.
Raila says he is confident that a technical team formed to decide on the mode of selection of candidate and the flag-bearer would give direction.
Kalonzo and Wetang’ula have persistently asked Raila to bow out of the race, with the latter once telling the Orange party leader to become the “Kingmaker”.
Kalonzo this week declared he would not back Raila if he’s losing the elections but Raila asked the CORD fraternity not to panic.
Here is the third series of interviews with CORD co-principals.
Q: What is your response to suggestions CORD is divided and affiliate parties may eventually field separate presidential candidates?
A: There is no truth whatsoever that we are disunited and may go our separate ways. There is also no truth in saying that we are not together. No coalition has ever stayed cohesively and united in the manner CORD has done since the last election.
Q: How do you prefer the coalition to pick its candidate - through a contested nomination or boardroom deal?
A: In a situation such as this, the route that will cause little trouble is consensus. A consensus where we sit as partners and agree on an arrangement and then prevail upon our supporters and our colleagues to support and follow.
If that will not be available, the next most logical agreement will be to find an alternative mechanism. If we don’t go through a consensus, we will have a contest as long as the contest is free, fair, open, transparent and democratic. I have no doubt that we will all be committed to the cause.
Q:And in case of negotiations, what factors do you suppose should guide decision to pick the presidential flag bearer?
A: Our target is to present a candidate, running mate and a team that represents the face of Kenya. Our target is to present a future of hope and unity. These will be guiding factors for the three of us. I have been quite categorical, my brothers have run before and I am the one who has not been tested and whose political tricks have not been let out of the bag yet. I am the one who has given them an assurance that I will be able to deliver a stronger punch against Jubilee and deliver victory for our coalition, which will be the victory for the country. The person who can do that is Wetang’ula.
Q: If you are not CORD’s presidential candidate, would you be comfortable being the running-mate?
We don’t want to cross the bridge before we reach it. Each one of us is a candidate and has an equal opportunity and an equal chance to be a flag-bearer for CORD. Each one of us has an equal opportunity to be a running mate should one of us be the flag-bearer. And each one of us has an opportunity to play any other role. What is important is not who will be the flag-bearer but how we hold the team together to the extent where the flag-bearer will just be the first among equals.
Q: If you are not picked as the coalition’s presidential candidate, will you stick to CORD?
A: CORD is the way to go. We formed it as equals. We’ve held onto CORD as equals and the question of whether we will remain together should not arise. CORD is the three of us and the three of us are CORD. The pillars of CORD are its parties. The leading lights of the party are its leadership.
Q: On other elective seats, would you prefer ‘negotiated democracy’ where the coalition has a sole candidate or for the affiliate parties to field their own candidates?
A: One area that we are absolutely clear that we will field a single candidate for all seats is Nairobi. We have an ongoing conversation on how to deal with Nairobi. If CORD did not make the mistakes we made last time in Nairobi, out of the 17 parliamentary seats, CORD would have taken at least 12 if not 14. We are now wiser but there are other areas in the country where such an arrangement cannot apply.
Q: Would you support a change of the elections date?
A: The election date as stands today is a constitutional matter. The elections must be held on the 2nd of August of every fifth year. There are people who have been putting forward all manner of irrational arguments. We don’t want time constraint to be used as means to amend the date and in the end rig elections. Time constraint issue should be addressed properly. We want the electoral body that is coming to have sufficient time to prepare and deliver a credible and acceptable election outcome.
Q: What do you have to say about the perception that Jubilee is almost assured of victory in next year’s elections?
A: That is the imagination of Jubilee die-hards and their henchmen. The only thing that they have a proven track record is manipulating and stealing elections, which we know we are going to remain eternally vigilant to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Jubilee is too soiled to be attractive to Kenyans of goodwill. The issues that have tainted them, including corruption and tribalism, will be too heavy a burden for Kenyans not to notice.
Q: What specific measures would you take to fight corruption if elected to high office?
A: I will not tolerate any form of corruption. We will smash all the sanctuaries of corruption. We will also not tolerate any shortcuts for self-enrichment by use of public resources. We will hold to account these people donating millions in harambees every weekend without a disclosure on the source of funds. Harambees are not the alternative to development. Development is a product of proper planning and use of resources. Development is going to be achieved by every Kenyan putting in his best and getting what he needs to live a decent life.
I will focus on the creation of national sovereign wealth from our resources because every resource we have is exhaustible. I will pay attention to the neglected youth and women.
We will streamline every sector to make sure efficiency, public integrity, honesty in discharge of duty and above all the desire to achieve a Kenya based on equity, respect and hard work is achieved.
Q: There have been complaints that CORD applies double standards in that the leadership does not demand action on those within their ranks, like governors, accused of corruption?
A: I have been in the forefront saying the war against corruption is not a partisan issue. A corrupt Jubilee governor denies wananchi services and facilities the same way a CORD governor does.
I know we have CORD governors who have not met the standards of our expectations. And we also know of Jubilee governors who have also not met our expectations. I am not shy to speak openly and fairly against corruption.
Q: What is the wisdom of disciplining party rebels and what is your response to critics who argue it is a demonstration of intolerance?
A: People elected on party ticket carry a responsibility to the party. In the wisdom of Parliament, we have a law that governs the conduct of parties and activities and people have choices. When you make a choice, be ready for the consequences. When elected on Ford Kenya and move to Jubilee, you cannot continue championing Ford Kenya’s matters. We would want to see the law enforced and Constitution is clear on party discipline. Those who left their parties have a moral obligation to themselves, people who elected them and parties that sponsored them. They should leave those seats so that a fresh contest is carried out.
