Mudavadi’s strategy to win Jubilee coalition ticket

Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi at a past rally [Photo: File]

By Standard Team

Nairobi, Kenya: The UDF presidential aspirant Musalia Mudavadi is seeking to woo Eldoret North MP William Ruto’s Rift Valley stronghold to win during the December 18 coalition nomination process.

Mudavadi is working on a strategy to win over Ruto’s support ahead of Tuesday’s Jubilee Coalition presidential nomination contest with Mr Uhuru Kenyatta.

Mudavadi is seeking the backing of Ruto with whom he had a tense political relationship in ODM because the latter felt he should have been named deputy premier instead.

“It is true we are in talks with Ruto with a view to having him support Mudavadi in the nominations,” the Deputy Prime Minister’s ally, Vihiga MP Yusuf Chanzu said.

Mudavadi’s camp is selling the idea that the Eldoret North MP is more comfortable with him as presidential candidate because he would be an ‘easier sell’ in the Rift Valley.

“Ruto has been having a difficult task to convince the Kalenjin community to support Uhuru,” said an ally on anonymity.

“He has been facing resistance that would cost his party seats in the region.”

Mudavadi’s camp is keen to exploit the marriage of convenience knowing that Ruto is keen on winning majority parliamentary and Senate seats in Rift Valley. But Ruto had feared a rebellion over Uhuru’s candidature would undermine his goal.

The former vice president’s allies are portraying him as the compromise candidate, the safe hands during divisive campaigns.

“Mudavadi is the unifying factor in this coalition and across the country especially as the nation is polarised over the forthcoming election,” said Assistant minister George Khaniri.

Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito added: “The country requires a lot of healing following the 2007 post election violence. Mudavadi has the leadership qualities and ability to heal the rift.”

But Uhuru’s camp is not amused about the scare crow tactics that competitors are employing, apprehensive about the dominance of Uhuru’s TNA.

Six of the top 10 counties in registration of voters, for instance, are in considered TNA strongholds.

Uhuru’s camp has scoffed at claims he would step down for Mudavadi.

Some 40 MPs allied to TNA alleged these were part of shadowy schemes to play the contest to Mudavadi’s advantage.

An opinion poll at the weekend that suggested Mudavadi stands a better chance to win the presidency if he becomes the Jubilee Alliance presidential candidate raised eyebrows if UDF had a hand in it.

In a last minute deal with Uhuru and Ruto, who had settled as president and running mate respectively for the presidential election, Mudavadi secured a concession that technically has him in the running for president.

Allies say settling for anything less than joint presidential nominations would have been politically suicidal for Mudavadi who has been emphatic about his presidential bid since defecting from ODM.

On a recent tour of western region, he mocked rivals who were “negotiating themselves out of a job,” saying his quest for the presidency was non-negotiable.

It was seen as an attack on Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa who at the time had been designated a junior position in Uhuru-Ruto alliance.

Now Mudavadi is in talks with Wamalwa, who quit the Uhuru-Ruto alliance, citing a raw deal. The two met at Sosa Hotel in Vihiga County last Friday.

The Saboti MP has said he would back Mudavadi if he is picked the Jubilee Coalition’s flag bearer.

Mudavadi has sought to use the background of his late father Moses Mudavadi, who worked for long as an education officer in the Rift Valley, to connect with the voters.

In Central Kenya he is banking on Industrialisation Assistant Minister Nderitu Muriithi and Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni.

The two have led a campaign to persuade the Kikuyu community that it is not tenable to have a person from the community succeed President Kibaki.

UDF chairman of the Political Council and Mandera Central MP Abdikadir Mohammed said: “The Jubilee coalition is a strong coalition that will deliver a win in the first round if all the partners do what is required of us.”

Mr Abraham Limo, the UDF Director and chairman of the National Election Board said that the DPM was building on the support he had in Rift Valley, Western, Nairobi, Nyanza and Central regions in his presidential bid.

“His non controversial nature, humility and sober approach to issues has made him the voice of reason in the country’s politics.

We are confident that the Jubilee supporters will back him for the top seat and we are going flat out in the remaining days to ensure that the support is solidified,” Limo said.

UDF chairman Osman Hassan said the stand off over Kanu party entry into the coalition would be dealt with amicably by the alliance members ahead of the nomination next week.

“There is a committee that has been formed to address the sticky issues and we are confident that the issues will be dealt with so that we are able to proceed as a team,” Hassan said.