Raila Odinga and Musalia Mudavadi say super alliance is unstoppable

ODM leader Raila Odinga with Amani leader Musalia Mudavadi at Storms Resort in Laikipia North yesterday. The two announced that the National Super Alliance (Nasa) will be in place by February next year. [Photo: JOB WERU/Standard]

The much-anticipated National Super Alliance will become a reality in February next year. CORD leader Raila Odinga and his Amani National Congress counterpart Musalia Mudavadi yesterday revealed that talks are at an advanced stage.

And to show that the alliance, which has come to be referred as Nasa will be all inclusive, the two leaders said Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Party and Ford Kenya led by Moses Wetang’ula were also in the loop to ensure the Opposition’s victory is achieved in the first round of polls.

Speaking at Storms Resort Lodge in Laikipia North where they met Orange Democratic Movement party delegates, the two leaders regretted that disunity among them in the 2013 polls led to the loss against Jubilee's Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.

It was telling that Mudavadi was making an appearance at an ODM delegates' meeting.

"My brother Mudavadi, we understand what happened ahead of 2013 but human is to err. The wrong thing is if we repeat the mistake. We are now a bit wiser," Raila said.

He was referring to the acrimonious fall-out in the last General Election when Mudavadi walked out of ODM after his preferred method of picking a presidential candidate was rejected.

Previously, Mudavadi had served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Grand Coalition Government where Raila was the Prime Minister.

Negotiations to have Mudavadi rejoin former Orange party colleagues started when ODM started plans to mark the 10th anniversary.

The strategy was aimed at creating a coalition equivalent to the National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) of 2002, which ended the reign of Kanu.

Yesterday, Raila said their union was a sure way of sending the Jubilee government packing, noting they are expecting to win the elections with a landslide.

The ODM leader said the ruling Jubilee had perfected the game of corruption, nepotism and tribalism, and called on Kenyans to vote them out in next year's polls.

"I urge all Kenyans to arm themselves with identity and voters cards so that we can kick out the current administration," said Raila.

He added: "Business will not be as usual come February next year. The current administration is full of thieves who must be sent home. We want bring change in this country."

Mudavadi said Nasa was the best outfit to defeat the Jubilee government, adding that in the past five years, Kenyans have experienced "massive looting of public funds by people in the current administration".

He dismissed claims that he and Raila are political rivals, saying; "We have previously worked together and we could still work together."

"We are not saying that we do not want ODM, Wiper, Ford Kenya or the others. We want a special unity that will see us win the elections. And by me standing here shows that I have that will," said Mudavadi.

Mudavadi said he and Raila had until yesterday held several consultations and agreed they must unite and liberate the country.

"Our unity will motivate Kenyans to participate in large numbers in the coming election, and we want to send a message that we are not enemies and that we want to work together, since we have done so in the past and we can do it again," Mr Mudavadi said.

The party leaders were accompanied by Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and MPs Mathew Lempurkel (Laikipia North), Elijah Memusi (Kajiado Central), Junet Mohammed (Suna East) and Alfred Agoi (Sabatia).

The meeting was attended by more than 300 ODM delegates.

It is the first time the two leaders have appeared together in public since the announcement that Nasa was in the offing.

 IMPOVERISHING KENYANS

Yesterday, the two leaders took on the Government on corruption, claiming the Jubilee administration was hell-bent on impoverishing Kenyans.

Raila lamented that public money was being stolen through the Integrated Financial Management System (Ifmis), "as both Kenyatta and Ruto watch".

He said as Kenyans wait to see action being taken and thieves of public money jailed, Tanzanian President John Magufuli had already jailed former Tanzania Revenue Authority and Tanzania Ports Authority bosses.