CORD Coalition declares Stephen Kariuki as the Mathare parliamentay seat candidiate

CORD members alongside ODM party leader, Raila Odinga in a press briefing (Photo:Standard/File)

By GEOFFREY MOSOKU

Nairobi, Kenya: The coalitions for reforms and democracy (CORD) parties have struck a deal to field one candidate in the forthcoming Mathare constituency by-election.

The three main parties of Wiper, ODM and Ford Kenya held a meeting that brought together aspirants on the coalition parties and resolved to throw their weight behind ODM’s Stephen Kariuki.

The CORD parties said that if they make a plunder of allowing individual parties field candidates, the scenario will disadvantage them as it will divide their supporters and therefore easily give victory to Jubilee.

It was not clear if the meeting that took place at Senate Leader of Minority Moses Wetang’ula’s office at County Hall convinced Ford Kenya’s Antony Oluoch from contesting. Although he attended the meeting, Oluoch failed to show up at a joint press conference to announce the deal.  Wiper’s Mbai Mutuku and Kariuki attended the media briefing.

The meeting was also attended by Wiper’s Johnstone Muthama, ODM’s Ababu Namwamba, Ruaraka MP TJ Kajwang, Nairobi Deputy Governor Jonathan Mueke and former Makadara MP Reuben Ndolo.

Wetang’ula told reporters that just like the previous by-elections where CORD principals had agreed that in any ensuing by-election that coalition will always have one candidate, the Mathare case will not be different.

“We are now going for nothing less than having one candidate and that candidate will be Stephen Kariuki of ODM,” he said.

The leaders said that their decision had been discussed and agreed upon but did not disclose the method they used in arriving at the ODM man.

In spite of Cord’s declaration, their campaign programme may turn out to be premature as house speaker Justin Muturi is yet to issue writs declaring the Mathare seat vacant.

“The court declared the seat vacant and IEBC has done the same and we know that there are constitutional timeslines for the Speaker to issue the writs which he will do any way. Thus as a coalition, we have begun our campaigns and we will be in Mathare conducting campaigns to reclaim what was ours,” Wetang’ula added.