MPs against Mudavadi as compromise candidate

Some of TNA-allied MPs who are against bid to have DPM Musalia Mudavadi as coalition compromise presidential candidate [Photo:Tabitha Otwori/Standard]

 

By Peter Opiyo

About 40 MPs allied to The National Alliance on Thursday said Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta will not step down in favour of Musalia Mudavadi and threatened to support Prime Minister Raila Odinga if he (Uhuru) does not contest presidency.

The MPs met and threatened to support Raila should Uhuru be denied the opportunity to be the Presidential candidate in the alliance.

“If it is not Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto then all roads would lead to Bondo,” said Agriculture Assistant Minister Kareke Mbiuki. Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s ancestral home is Bondo hundreds of kilometres away from the lake side town of Kisumu.

The MPs accused a group of powerful individuals of working behind the scenes to have Mudavadi as the alliance presidential candidate, saying they will not succumb to that pressure.

“We are giving them notice that we shall not entertain blackmail. Uhuru is the shareholder, prefect and leader of TNA,” said Sports Assistant minister Kabando wa Kabando.

Chairman of the group charged with looking at the Alliance matters, Mutava Musyimi, said a group opposed to Uhuru has been spreading rumours that Uhuru has stepped down for Mr Mudavadi, saying such rumours has affected supporters of the Gatundu South MP and that they are not committed to registering as voters.

There have been reports that a good number of Uhuru’s supporters were shocked with turn of events and that they may not register as voters if the Deputy Prime Minister is not a presidential candidate. Uhuru and Ruto have been indicted by the International Criminal Court over international crimes occasioned by the 2007/2008 post-poll upheavals in which 1,133 people died and more than 500,000 uprooted from their homes.

“There are a lot of rumours circulating that Uhuru has stepped aside but we say here that Uhuru will be on the ballot and he is the presidential candidate of TNA. We won’t succumb to any pressure,” said Musyimi.

His Deputy and nominated MP Amina Abdalla said if unfair process would be employed to lock out Uhuru from the race then TNA would withdraw from the coalition.

On Wednesday, sources close to Uhuru indicated that Uhuru and Eldoret North MP William Ruto are considering Mudavadi of the United Democratic Front (UDF) as a compromise candidate should they not run, to counter Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka’s coalition

Mudavadi’s United Democratic Forum was roped into the alliance as a knee-jerk reaction to Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Trade Minister Moses Wetang’ula’s alliance.

Immediately after the signing of the deal on Tuesday, Uhuru and Eldoret North MP, William Ruto sought Mudavadi to help strengthen the TNA/URP alliance that had been sealed the previous day.