“Those who want direct nominations will have to look elsewhere. URP is a party that will take everyone on board. Its leadership believes in a free and fair nominations,” Kaparo said.
Ruto promised the officials who will preside over the nominations would be picked and agreed on by all the aspirants.
MPs Isaac Ruto and Keter said the perceived fight between them did not exist as they were from different counties and as such were not contesting for common positions.
“I have no issue with Keter since he comes from Kericho County. I am from Bomet County. We are both interested in popularising the party,” Isaac Ruto said.
He argued that the most important thing for the party was to have a free and fair grassroots elections next month and democratic nominations process ahead of the General Election.
Keter said: “Isaac and I have been working to ensure the party gets support. Those claiming there is a rift between us do not understand what is happening.”
During the PM’s meeting in Kajiado, the issue of a running mate was discussed at length following the defection of Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi from ODM.
Mudavadi, who has moved to UDF, would have been Raila’s running mate. But the two are now expected to face- off at the election. “We discussed all issues, all possible options of running mate from the weakest to the one we believe is the most formidable,” a source at the party who attended the meeting told The Standard.
The strengths and weaknesses of other presidential aspirants and campaign fundraising were also discussed.
“The ODM Reloaded team was also mandated to organise rallies in the Rift Valley, which kicks off this the weekend,” an MP, who attended the retreat, said.
Raila is on Wednesday expected to launch his presidential secretariat during a dinner for “special supporters” at The Intercontinental Hotel, as he seeks to implement resolutions of the retreat.
But even as the PM weighs his options and seeks to turn the tide in Rift Valley, he is still faced with the option of containing Kosgey and Bett. Both have declared interest in being his running mate.
