Uhuru, Ruto and Kalonzo in fresh unity talks

By Vitalis Kimutai

They have a common denominator in their politics, albeit from different parties — the will to defeat Prime Minister Raila Odinga in the race for presidency.

Their relationships alternate from lows to highs, like on Thursday when they met and posed for cameras to symbolically radiate the message of unity, even if not under the banner of G7 Alliance which some of them argue is non-existent.

When they met on Thursday, it was not just for the cup of tea they shared, for when they walked out to talk to the press, one of them declared they were on a mission to build a political alliance.

The three also, according to sources, discussed how to bolster their crusade against Raila through the route of a compromise candidate. Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Eldoret North MP William Ruto, and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta who this week’s opinion polls showed had closed gap and was six points behind Raila, met and reportedly “agreed” to stick together to the end.

This seems to suggest they have been buoyed by the verdict of the opinion poll predicting that there would be no clear winner, but in the run-off stage, Uhuru would beat Raila. For this to work, the assumption is that Kalonzo and Ruto would have to back him.

That was the message the three appear to send to Kenyans when they posed for camera, effectively casting a picture of a united front against Raila.

They also touched on the issue of a compromise candidate in the event that Uhuru and Ruto are barred from contesting the presidency.

However, despite the enthusiasm they exhibited, Kenyans will be watching to see who among the three leaders who have declared their names would be in the ballot paper would come up with a pre-election power sharing deal.

Speaking after the meeting, an aide to one of the three leaders who sought anonymity revealed they agreed to mount a joint assault against Raila.

“What I can tell you for sure is that the issue of a compromise candidate was discussed at length because the leaders do not want to leave anything to chance,” he said.

It was also agreed that because Rift Valley and Central regions were rich vote-hunting grounds, they would work together to ward off Raila’s incursion.

The source claimed that was the surest way of ensuring Raila gets little chance of securing majority votes and seats from these areas. In the meeting, the issue of alliances, both before and after elections, were discussed and it was reportedly agreed other players be brought on board so that a binding agreement could be crafted.

It was said they also revisited the issue of conducting joint presidential nominations but no agreement was reached.

It was agreed for the moment the leaders should popularise their parties on their own at the grassroots level even as the unity talks advance to the next level.

The latest talks come months after the collapse of the much-touted and highly publicised G7 Alliance, which brought together the three and others like Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa.

The three leaders met for three hours at Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi, and later announced they were working on a strong alliance top deliver the presidency.

Silently looked on

Addressing journalists after the meeting, Ruto said they would bring others on board to build a strong team to deliver before March 4, 2013 elections.

The three presidential hopefuls announced that they would be taking the negotiations to the next highest level in a few days.

“There are consultations going on across the political divide involving various political players. This is part of what is going on and we are going to take it to the next level from here,” Ruto said.

Uhuru and Kalonzo silently looked on as Ruto spoke, occasionally nodding in affirmation.

Ruto and Uhuru are among the four facing crimes against humanity cases at The Hague but barring a run-off the hearing will start after the elections. Full hearing is scheduled for April 11, 2013 —just a month after election. The relationship between Uhuru, Ruto and Kalonzo turned frosty early this year when MPs in the VP’s Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) made remarks that portrayed him as wanting to benefit from the tribulations the two were facing as a result of the case at The Hague.

Wamalwa brokered a truce, which brought the leaders together at Norfolk hotel where they announced they would be push on together.

However, the damage was already done as Kalonzo skipped subsequent prayer sessions-cum-political rallies, which were organised for Uhuru and Ruto in various parts of the country.

It is now believed the leaders were considering roping in Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, also a presidential hopeful who has expressed interest in working with them.

In the opinion poll Mudavadi, was rated at seven per cent while Ruto and Kalonzo tied at six per cent. Ruto dismissed the polls as doctored.

Mudavadi has been on a tour of the United States and United Kingdom on official duties and it is instructive to note that two days ago, he switched positions and supported the push for ICC cases to be subjected to a local tribunal.

The position was seen as a strategic move to endear himself to voters in Rift Valley and Central Kenya where Ruto and Uhuru respectively are considered to hold a firm political grip.

Both Uhuru and Ruto have been raiding Raila’s ODM party in the past few days poaching MPs and key leaders from the PM’s party.

It also emerged that Raila is currently plotting a hit-back strategy through change of political and campaign strategy.

Uhuru’s TNA party has taken Housing Assistant minister Margaret Wanjiru and nominated MP Rachel Shebesh from ODM ahead of the polls, while Ruto has snatched Sotik MP Dr Joyce Laboso.

“We will be in Sotik on Sunday to receive Dr Laboso in the United Republican Party (URP) and more leaders will be coming on board in days to come,” Ruto announced.

Speaking at the Norfolk Hotel, Ruto said: “You will see the others coming on board in a few days. Just keep your eyes open.”

Other issues discussed by the three leaders included constitutional timelines, which will impact, on their planning for the pre-election pact. “We are keen on ensuring the next general election would be free, fair and peaceful. We are committed as a team to ensure that campaigns will be issue-based,” Ruto said.

Hate speech

They appealed to Kenyans to shun politicians and individuals who engage in hate speech and other issues that would fan chaos prior to and after the election.

The meeting is said to have been convened by Kalonzo, who later jetted out of the country last night for a two-day trip to Qatar.

A few weeks ago, Ruto hit out at Wamalwa in public for allegedly betraying the cause of the alliance by entering into talks with “others” without consulting the G7 members.