Mudavadi wants front against Raila

By Peter Atsiaya

Musalia Mudavadi took Kakamega town by storm on Saturday with his first UDF rally amid calls for a united front against PM Raila Odinga.

The Deputy Prime Minister wants to go head to head against Raila come the March 2013 General Election and will be seeking the support of other presidential hopefuls in the informal G7 alliance to do so.

The Sabatia MP, who was received by thousands of his supporters at Muliro Gardens, got a boost when Deputy PM Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto sent their allies to show their support for him.

The two are keen to be seen as holding open the door to the G7 Alliance for him especially after Mr Uhuru’s recent promise to rival Western leader Eugene Wamalwa.

In their speeches, both the G7 MPs and Mr Mudavadi’s allies said unity was the only weapon required to defeat Raila during the next General Election.

Cabinet Minister Jamleck Kamau and Assistant minister Lewis Nguyai represented Uhuru at the rally, while Mr Ruto’s ambassador was Mt Elgon MP Fred Kapondi. Mr Kamau, Mr Nguyai and Mr Kapondi said talks between Mudavadi, Uhuru and Ruto on a joint presidential candidate were in top gear.

Decision irreversible

“Uhuru has sent me here to tell you that he supports Mudavadi,” said Mr Nguyai. “He is ready to work with him with a view of supporting one presidential candidate. We have started talks with UDF and URP (such as) the meeting we had in Nairobi last week where we defeated our enemies.”

The MP was referring to a meeting by MPs from the three parties where they rejected names nominated by ODM for East African Legislative Assembly MPs in Parliament. He added: “We are targeting a Western, Rift Valley and Central alliance before reaching out to other regions. We started as the G7 Alliance but with Mudavadi on board we are now G8.”

Kamau said TNA has agreed to form an alliance with UDF with a view of picking a single candidate to challenge the PM and other presidential candidates. To this, the crowd chanted “Mudavadi! Mudavadi!”

The Nairobi Metropolitan Development minister then said: “Kama mmeamua ni Mudavadi, basi tutamuunga mkono (If you have decided it is Mudavadi then we will support him).”

Kapondi said Mudavadi had the full backing of Ruto. He urged locals to rally behind him and strengthen the alliance.

“You have no reason not to support Mudavadi when other leaders like Ruto back him,” Kapondi said.

Business in the town was interrupted as thousands of UDF supporters welcomed Mudavadi and his wife Tessy to the town for the rally. Others who accompanied Mudavadi included MPs Abdikadir Mohamed, Jeremiah Kioni, George Nyamweya, Nderitu Mureithi, Yusuf Chanzu, Justus Kizito and Manyala Keya.

Kakamega was covered in yellow, UDF’s colour, as thousands thronged the Muliro Gardens for the rally. The rally comes a week after the PM held a similar one at the same venue.

Housing Minister Soita Shitanda, MPs George Khaniri and Bonny Khalwale said Uhuru and Ruto should drop their bid for presidency in favour of Mudavadi. The leaders noted there was a strong political message when President Kibaki allowed Mudavadi to welcome him to address the nation during Madaraka Day celebrations in the absence of VP Kalonzo Musyoka and Raila.

“What you saw during Madaraka Day celebrations are a sign of things to come,” said Mr Khaniri.

Dr Khalwale said he would bring a Motion in Parliament next week to push for Raila’s retirement benefits as a PM because he would not win the presidency.

Mudavadi reiterated that his decision to quit ODM and run for presidency was irreversible and dismissed a recent claim by the PM that he was warming up for a return to ODM. He noted he was the most qualified candidate among his allies running for presidency as he has held a Cabinet position for more than 15 years and the Vice Presidency and Deputy PM positions.

“I have been a minister for more than 15 years, a VP and now DPM...what has remained is presidency then I end my political career,” he said.

He took issue with MPs from the region that have stuck with Raila saying they were only targeting the ministerial slot left vacant after he quit.

“You see them make noise at the top of their voices on caravans along the road in western then in the evening they meet the PM to plead for appointment to the Cabinet,” he scoffed. “I urge them to join me in UDF before it is too late”.

Dismissed critics

MPs from the region allied to Raila include Ababu Namwamba, Alfred Khangati, Alfred Sambu and Dr Wilbur Ottichilo. Mr Ababu was recently appointed Raila’s pointman in western, replacing Mudavadi.

The Deputy PM promised to prioritise youth employment, food security and education should he become president. He decried the high cost of energy as contributing to unemployment, pointing to the collapse of Webuye’s Pan Paper Mills as an example.

Saying devolved Government was a good solution to under development, Mudavadi pledged to fully implement the Constitution. He dismissed criticism he was anti-reform, adding he played a key role in ensuring the new laws passed during the 2010 Referendum.

He commended young people who are setting up small and medium size businesses with little capital but with many innovative ideas especially in ICT and engineering.

To support the activities of the youth, the President directed all relevant government agencies develop strategies that will enable the small and medium businesses to grow financially and access larger markets.

He also appealed to financial institutions to develop products specifically targeting young people who may not raise significant collateral in order to secure credit facilities.