Jubilee in race to formalise coalition pact with ODM party

Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju. [Jenipher Wachie, Standard]

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee party has escalated its bid to formalise coalition talks with ODM by tabling the proposal before a top decision-making organ of the outfit.

The ruling coalition’s National Management Committee yesterday met for the second time to discuss the planned 2022 pre-election coalition with the Raila Odinga-led party, signaling the race to formalise the pact ahead of next year's General Elections.

Members of NMC present in the meeting yesterday included Jubilee chairperson Nelson Dzuya, Secretary-General Raphael Tuju and Vice-chairperson David Murathe.

Also in the meeting were Jubilee’s Parliamentary leadership team led by National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya, Jubilee coalition joint secretary Aden Keynan, Senate Deputy Majority Leader Fatuma Dullo, and Majority Whip Emmanuel Wangwe.

The party’s top leadership has also planned a retreat next week to continue with its discussion over the decision to forge a coalition with Raila.

Yesterday’s meeting that was chaired by Dzuya resolved to convene a Parliamentary group meeting to appraise its MPs on the plan.

Secretary-General Raphael Tuju said that they want to carry onboard every stakeholder in forging the new coalition with the opposition outfit.

“We had a meeting on Wednesday as NMC and had a robust discussion over the party’s plan to form an alliance with ODM. We presented the proposal before the party organ for approval,” said Tuju.

“Today (yesterday) we have had another meeting as NMC with the leadership from Parliament. We discussed the issue about the coalition and we have agreed to have a retreat next week before we can have a parliamentary group meeting on the same,” he told The Standard.

Tuju said Senate Majority Leader Samuel Poghisio was absent with an apology. Poghisio is a Kanu Senator representing West Pokot county.

The ruling Jubilee Party already has a coalition agreement with Kanu, led by Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, as well as a cooperation agreement with Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Party.

Gideon and Kalonzo are already in a separate One Kenya Alliance that also brings together Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford-Kenya’s Moses Wetangúla.

There have been behind-the-scenes efforts by Uhuru to bring the four principals together for them to come up with a formidable team in next year’s general elections.

Yesterday, ODM said it was yet to convene a meeting of its National Executive Committee (NEC) or Central Management Committee to discuss the matter.

ODM chairman John Mbadi and Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna said they are yet to settle on a date for a meeting to formalise the coalition engagement with Jubilee.