By Francis Ngige
Before the United Democratic Forum ( UDF) settled on Musalia Mudavadi, his colleague Uhuru Kenyatta was on the cards to become the party’s presidential flag bearer, The Standard can disclose.
It was, however, never to be as Uhuru chose to take over Nginyo Kariuki’s National Alliance Party of Kenya (NAPK) whose name he now intends to change to National Alliance Party.
According to sources involved in the formation of UDF, its initial plan was to be Uhuru’s political vehicle. Uhuru had been at loggerheads with the Party of National Unity and Kanu. His allies, among them youthful MPs from his Mt Kenya backyard, formed the party.
At the initial stages some MPs associated with the party moved around the region saying it was the political party Uhuru would board to succeed President Kibaki.
One of the members involved in its formation on Thursday told The Standard that an ally of President Kibaki was involved in its formation to lure Uhuru to become its torchbearer.
"He was keen to give Uhuru a formidable vehicle to tackle the election to avoid a situation like 2007 when (President) Kibaki formed a party at the last minute," said the official.
The official, who declined to be named, said Uhuru was not happy that the party was registered without his knowledge.
On Thursday, an aide of Uhuru confirmed that some UDF officials had approached him to be its presidential flag bearer days after it was registered but he was uncomfortable that a public servant was behind it.
Another reason Uhuru gave UDF a wide berth was because he was still thinking of vying for Presidency through Kanu, the aide said.
alliances
He said it was after some Kanu officials became "difficult" that Uhuru ditched the Independence party.
