Mudavadi, Uhuru head for Tuesday showdown

By VITALIS KIMUTAI

Deputy Prime Ministers Uhuru Kenyatta and Musalia Mudavadi will on Tuesday, December 18 battle it out for the Jubilee Coalition’s presidential ticket through a delegate system in Nairobi.

Already the delegates of the three main coalition parties — Uhuru’s The National Alliance, Mudavadi’s United Democratic Forum and Eldoret North MP William Ruto’s United Republican Party — are being mobilised to converge in Nairobi for the exercise.

This is in line with the agreement signed by Uhuru and Ruto with Mudavadi last Tuesday when the UDF leader joined the Jubilee Coalition on the day Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka teamed up with Prime Minister Raila Odinga to form the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord).

Both Uhuru and Mudavadi were in the trenches over the weekend, with Uhuru addressing a rally in Kiambu and Sunday appearing in Kameme FM’s morning show. His message was there was no way he would step down for Mudavadi as claimed reportedly to boost the coalition’s chances to beat the Raila team.

Mudavadi on the other hand was in a UDF retreat in Naivasha strategising on how to beat Uhuru in the nominations.

A total of 2,820 delegates from all the 47 counties are expected to make the crucial decision, and there was speculation last evening that Water minister Charity Ngilu could also be included in the race. It is believed she has abandoned Raila’s bandwagon for Uhuru for the second time after her return to Cord last Tuesday as Kalonzo was ushered in.

Sources within the alliance revealed she has been given time to hold a series of rallies in Ukambani during which she will market her new plan. It is expected after the rallies she will announce her decision to cross over. This means her Narc party will also be sending its own delegates to the nomination hall. Each party would present 20 delegates from each county, according to a technical team working on the modalities.

Coalition deals

On Sunday, Mudavadi convened a meeting in Naivasha to plan how they will pick the 20 delegates and also lobby for support from TNA and URP delegates.

UDF Political Council chaired by Mandera Central MP Abdikadir Mohammed met to review the party’s coalition agreements at a Great Rift Valley Lodge.

It has now emerged the coalition’s top decision making organ, similar to the disbanded Orange Democratic Movement’s Pentagon, would be unveiled next week.

The coalition partners are yet to agree on whether the joint National Election Board whose composition is being worked on will be unveiled on Thursday or Friday this week.

“Delegates will, on December 18, which is the Super-Tuesday, convene in Nairobi in a star-studded event to pick the coalition’s presidential candidate,” Jasper Mbiuki, a member of the Jubilee negotiating team, told The Standard. “This week will present an opportunity for the Jubilee coalition to unveil a credible process that would showcase real democracy.”

Observers

Mbiuki and Justice (Rtd) Aaron Ringera represent TNA on the Joint Nominations Board, while Kipchumba Murkomen and David Chirchir URP while Nderitu Mureithi and Mohammed stand in for UDF.

Mbiuki said international and local observers would be invited to the conference.

“The contest for the presidential candidate has not officially been narrowed down to Uhuru and Mudavadi but remains an open contest for all,” Mbiuki said.

In Naivasha Mudavadi’s think-tank met to refine their strategies, not only for the nomination process but also how to deal with potential threat to the partnership generated by Kanu’s declaration it would support him against Uhuru in the race.

“We will be voting for Mudavadi but if Uhuru wins we will support him to ensure we win the elections in round one,’’ declared Kanu Secretary-General Nick Salat, whose party is in the coalition because of an earlier deal signed with Mudavadi.

Already URP MPs led by Isaac Rutto (Chepalungu), Aden Dualle and Charles Keter have demanded Kanu be locked out of the alliance.

“We are convinced Mudavadi will win the joint ticket. We are waiting for details on the best nomination procedures and we will comply,’’ assured Vihiga MP Yusuf Chanzu.

But as the Mudavadi team assembled to strategise, Ruto sent a strong signal that Uhuru remains the flag-bearer. Even though he promised fair nominations during the exercise, Ruto said Uhuru was still focused on being the next President of Kenya despite The Hague cases awaiting them. He said the Jubilee coalition was intact even though it was preparing for joint nominations.

Delegate’s choice

“The alliance is intact. Those spreading rumours Uhuru will leave the seat for Mudavadi have the wrong end of the stick,’’ said Ruto in Narok.

The principals in the alliance are said to be working on logistical issues relating to the nomination process, the main being funding.

“The delegates will pick their candidate of choice through a secret ballot so as to enhance transparency and demonstrate to the world this coalition fully embraces democracy,” Cherangany MP Joshua Kuttuny said.

Identifying the candidates to take part in the nomination is also an issue that individual parties are yet address with only eight days to the D-day. The team working on the nomination process convenes this morning to enhance the preparations.

Duale, who is a URP spokesman, said the process will be an open contest, adding zoning would be used to pick candidates to contest the other elective posts on March 4.

URP-Kanu conflict

“Where we feel there is need for joint nomination under the coalition, then that will be done but we also have an option to allow a particular party to field candidates who will be supported by the other coalition partners,” Duale said.

He said, in Rift Valley, Coast, North Eastern and upper Eastern regions, for example, URP would field candidates with the support of TNA and UDF while in central Kenya, Kisii Nyanza and Nairobi, the stakes favoured TNA while UDF had a large following in Western.

He, however, clarified that in some regions, the three parties would field candidates for the various elective posts, but even as the technical team worked on the finer details of the nomination process, the rift over the inclusion of Kanu in the coalition remains a major issue. URP threatened it would pull out should Kanu be brought on board.

“We are categorical Kanu is not part of the deal and if they must come on board, then we shall move out as a party (URP),” Duale said on phone.

“As much as some URP leaders are showing hate and contempt to us, we (Kanu) will reply with love and tolerance,” Salat said.