NASA close to getting candidate, says Kalonzo Musyoka

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka (left) with party supporters at Majengo Kanamai in Kilifi County Monday. [Kelvin Karani, Standard]

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Secretary General Hassan Omar have said Opposition principals have made progress in the search for a joint presidential candidate.

The two were referring to Sunday’s strategy meeting by the four principals of the NASA coalition at Vipingo Ridge in Kilifi, but did not provide details of what was discussed.

On Sunday, Kalonzo and Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula dismissed media reports that the four principals were in Coast to declare a flag bearer. They said the reports were misleading and inaccurate.

Corrupt regime

They instead said their meeting was to plot a strategy against Jubilee amid reports that the four met technical teams involving Kenyan and foreign experts assisting the Opposition to combat the ruling coalition.

Mr Kalonzo and Mr Omar described Jubilee as a corrupt regime that has mismanaged the economy through corruption and should be voted out in order to transform the country’s economy and create jobs.

The Wiper leader said the Uhuru Kenyatta-led government had been unable to manage the country’s security and accused it of forcing the disappearance of youths particularly at the Coast.

Kalonzo and Omar were campaigning for the Kilifi gubernatorial candidate, Gabriel Katana, at Kanamai trading centre.

Kalonzo said the Kilifi meeting on Sunday laid a strategy on how to send Jubilee home, adding that NASA would form committees comprising five members in all 45,000 polling stations to protect votes.

“On Sunday, we held a successful meeting in Kilifi whose aim was to remove the Jubilee government from power. NASA will form committees of five members in every polling station in the country to remit results immediately they are announced to the NASA tallying centre to eliminate the chances of the results being altered,” Kalonzo said as he urged the electorate to vote out Jubilee in the August polls.

United against jubilee

He said the Opposition was more concerned on how to remove Jubilee from power in August and was not divided on who will be the presidential candidate.

“We met here yesterday with my fellow co-principals. We had a lengthy meeting, we talked and discussed and worked hard to tell one another on where the problem is with our aim being one. We are not looking at who will be the presidential candidate but our aim is how we will get Jubilee out of power. This is the year of change,” said Kalonzo.

He said the results will be displayed at the polling station, recorded on smart phones and remitted to the NASA tallying centre to stop Jubilee or any other party from doctoring the outcome.

The Wiper leader said the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) would  announce results after NASA gets the figures at its tallying centre.

“We mean business and we will beat Jubilee in one touch. Parallel vote tabulation is provided for under the Constitution. Figures from the polling station will be final and will not be changed,” Kalonzo added.

He called for each political party to be given a voter register after the ongoing audit of the voters roll by the IEBC is done to ensure there was no doctoring of numbers.

Kalonzo said he was popular and capable of defeating President Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, if handed the NASA ticket.

“If given the NASA ticket, President Kenyatta and Ruto will go home before noon on August 8,” Kalonzo said at the rally adding that only his coalition would transform Kenya’s economy.