Amani, Ford-K ratify pact with UDA as Ruto unveils polls board

Deputy President William Ruto (second left), Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula (left) and former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo (right) join ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi during his presidential bid launch at Bomas of Kenya on Sunday, January 23, 2022 [David Njaaga, Standard]

Amani National Congress (ANC) yesterday insisted that party leader Musalia Mudavadi was still in the presidential race on a day, Deputy President, William Ruto inaugurated his election board.

ANC legislators held the first meeting after Mudavadi's pact with Ruto's UDA, where they refuted claims that Amani leader will shelve his presidential ambition in favour of the DP.

Ford Kenya also held its parliamentary group meeting yesterday where members ratified the decision to work with ANC and UDA ahead of the August 9 elections.

Ruto unveiled the UDA National Election Board (NEB) that comprises of Eng Anthony Mwaura, Salome Beacco, Aurelia Rono, Ummi Bashir, Matiko Chacha, Raphael Chimera and Halake Dida.

The meeting was also attended by UDA chairman Johnson Muthama, Secretary-General Veronica Maina and Executive Director Odanga Pessa.

Ruto chaired a joint meeting of National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Elections Board (NEB) at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi.

He congratulated the newly inaugurated NEB and reminded them of the heavy task ahead of conducting free and fair nominations.

Ruto asked the NEC and NEB to work closely to ensure that party members and aspirants are given their democratic right by treating all fairly.

On Sunday, Ruto attended the ANC party National Delegates Conference at Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi, where he announced that UDA will work with Mudavadi's party in his pursuit for presidency.

This sparked speculation that the ANC leader would shelve his presidential ambitions in favour of Ruto.

But after the ANC’s Parliamentary Group meeting yesterday, party officials reiterated that Mudavadi will be on the ballot come August 9, and urged the public to stop misinterpreting the DP’s presence at Bomas to mean that the ANC leader had shelved his presidential ambition.

The PG was chaired by Mudavadi. Leaders present were ANC deputy party leader Abdi Yare, MPs Alfred Agoi, Kassim Tandaza, Omboko Milemba, Beatrice Adagala, Sakwa Bunyasi, Petronilla Were, Malulu Injendi and Ernest Kagesi.

“At the National Delegates Conference last weekend, our party leader was given the mandate to look for friends to partner with in his journey to State House. Let it be known that as a party, we have agreed that Mudavadi is going for nothing less than the presidency,” said Emuhaya MP Milemba.

The legislator said the ANC was seeking to work with like-minded parties which were willing to back a Mudavadi candidature.

The party also announced that it has formulated a campaign programme beginning with the joint UDA and ANC rally in Nakuru today.

On Friday, Mudavadi will traverse Bungoma county and head to Kirinyaga County on Saturday for a series of rallies.

In a statement after the meeting, Ford Kenya Secretary General Chris Wamalwa noted that the new found alliance would ensure that they clinch majority seats in Parliament.

Another official said the partnership with UDA was the silver bullet that would stop the Azimio la Umoja Movement.