Four Opposition chiefs set to sign NASA coalition agreement

Residents of Kakuma, Turkana County at a CORD rally attended by Opposition chief Raila Odinga who is set to sign a coalition agreement with other Opposition leaders Tuesday. [Photo: Courtesy]

A coalition agreement that will see the newly-formed National Super Alliance (NASA) take on Jubilee Party in the August polls as a united front is ready.

The Standard confirmed that the outfit’s co-ordinating team finalised the draft yesterday coalition agreement, which is to be deposited at the Registrar of Political Parties. What remains is for the four co-principals - Raila Odinga (ODM), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), and Moses Wetang'ula (Ford Kenya) - to append their signatures on the document.

The draft document was last week presented to the principals, who sent it back to the 12-member committee for fine-tuning.

"I have not seen the final document. The team presented to us a raw draft last week. We looked at it and sent it back," said Mr Wetang'ula.

The optimism of a joint opposition assault on Jubilee was reiterated by the other co-principals. During his tour of Turkana County, Mr Odinga drummed up support for NASA, saying it was the only political outfit that has the people's interest at heart.

"I have come back to tell you that the whistle to start saving Kenya has been blown. Turkana people have reason to send Jubilee home. They suffered during the previous eras but it is now time to vote in a government that will care for them. They had been forgotten completely by previous regimes and we are here to support them and ensure that there is development like other regions," the opposition chief said.

Odinga supported the 10 per cent petroleum revenue allocation to the community, saying NASA would ensure that the funds allocated to the county and the community reaches them.

"The community should get its share of the revenue, as stipulated in the Bill. As NASA, we will ensure that it is done accordingly. But we should be careful that the oil issue does not become a curse by enriching only a few and leaving the rest in poverty. We should work at ensuring it becomes a blessing," he said.

In his tour of Kilifi County, Mr Mudavadi said NASA was working round the clock to ensure that it comes up with a suitable flag bearer.

"It does not matter what temperatures will be in that room but the fact of the matter is that we are going to agree and come up with a favourable leader who will solve our problems and bring life to Kenya," the former vice-president said.

Mudavadi, who was speaking yesterday at rallies at Kibaoni Bus Park in Kilifi, promised that if he is picked as the candidate, he will equalise all counties by embracing devolution.

The details of the coalition agreement, however, remained scanty, with Wetang'ula, who is also the Senate minority leader, saying it had not been formally presented to the principals.

"I am aware that the idea to sign the agreement was mooted for Tuesday, but that can only happen subject to the approval of the principals," he said.

Nambale MP Sakwa Bunyasi, representing ANC, confirmed that the National Coordinating Committee had made progress in drafting the agreement. Bunyasi, a member of the 12-member committee, said the team had finalised the draft coalition agreement pending approval by the four co-principals.

"We have been working on the coalition agreement and so far there has been no acrimony. The document was sent to the principals for a review but now we have finalised it," he said.

Mr Bunyasi confirmed that the leaders had agreed on the substance of the agreement and that there had been no fallout. He added: "All the final touches have been done and possibly the coalition agreement will be signed this week."

NASA will also look at the possibility of drafting nomination rules to guide it in picking suitable candidates. Political parties are expected to start submitting their nomination rules to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). The commission plans to meet in Mombasa with the Kenya Law Reform Commission, the Registrar of Political Parties, and the National Assembly Committee on Delegated Legislation, chaired by Baringo North MP William Cheptumo, to discuss rules and regulations.

They will fast-track the three crucial regulations - party primaries and party lists, political party regulations, and political party funding.

All political parties will be required to align their nomination rules to the IEBC party primaries and party list regulations. Although, Jubilee Party, ODM, Wiper, ANC, and other political parties have their nomination rules, they cannot submit them until the National Assembly approves the IEBC regulations.

Wetang'ula said drafting NASA nomination rules was not a priority.

"Nomination rules can be drafted and taken to IEBC the same day. It's not a big issue. There are suggestions that we conduct joint nominations in cosmopolitan areas. If there is anything that will give the opposition the upper hand, we will gladly embrace it," he said. Odinga's Orange party has expressed its dissatisfaction with some of the provisions in the proposed IEBC regulations and wants the draft law amended.