By PAUL MUTUA
Political rivals Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka came together in Kitui County Friday in what appeared to be an attempt to change the tone of competitive politics.
Coming in the wake of the controversial G7 Alliance prayer rallies and on the same day as the Gema meeting that rallied ethnic support behind rival contender, Uhuru Kenyatta, their joint meeting sought to frame the upcoming contest in friendlier, less divisive terms.
PM Raila Odinga with VP Kalonzo Musyoka (left) at Kaningo in Tseikuru, Kitui, Friday during the memorial service of former Kitui North (now Mwingi North) MP Philip Mutisya Manandu. [PHOTO: PAUL MUTUA]
The Vice-President and Prime Minister, who are in different parties, insisted they would both be on the presidential ballot next year.
"Let it be clear Raila is my competitor," ODM-Kenyaâs Kalonzo said, dismissing speculation he is warming up to the idea of an alliance. "I am praying that I will beat him at the polls. I am sure he is also praying to beat me."
ODM leader Raila urged locals to vote for him come the March 4, 2013 presidential race as he was the strongest contender in the running.
The two were speaking at Kaningo village, in Kitui Countyâs Tseikuru district during the first ever memorial celebrations for former Kitui North constituency MP, Philip Mutisya Manandu, who was shot dead by an administration policeman 27 years ago. Kitui North has since been renamed Mwingi North and is represented in Parliament by Kalonzo.
ODM contest
Raila has come under attack from within his ODM party where leadership challenger and deputy Musalia Mudavadi has accused him of entrenching the " politics of polarisation".
Mudavadi has also reportedly refused to attend joint rallies with the PM. Kalonzo Musyoka, on the other hand, has had a hard time at G7 rallies from other presidential hopefuls and their hostile supporters.
Fridayâs meeting played to these issues while raising the tantalizing idea of a new alliance at a time when ODMâs strongest player in the region, Water Minister Charity Ngilu, has been playing her cards close to her chest. Ngilu has had warm things to say about Mudavadi and other presidential hopefuls, most recently Prof George Saitoti, while remaining silent about Raila.
