UDA will work with Ford Kenya and ANC

**Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula (left) Deputy President William Ruto , Musalia Mudavadi (ANC) and former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo during ANC's NDC at the Bomas of Kenya.** [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC) and Moses Wetangula’s Ford Kenya have resolved to work together ahead of the 2022 general election.

Speaking on Sunday during ANC's National Delegates Congress (NDC) at the Bomas of Kenya, DP Ruto said the parties had agreed to formally associate in the interest of the nation.

“The only two candidates that have identified the economy as the place where they will begin to address the challenges facing our nation is ANC and UDA.

I believe the coming together of uchumi bora pesa mfukoni and the bottom-up economic model will have the chance to deal decisively with the challenges that face our nation. The hustlers need uchumi bora, and uchumi bora must start at the bottom, and then kazi becomes kazi,” said Ruto.

Ruto said time was of the essence and that the parties presented a unity of purpose to protect and consolidate democracy, enrich the political space and address the challenges facing the country.

“We are in a good place. I am very confident that going forward, the statement that has been made by Musalia Mudavadi is the beginning of a journey to the next general election and to a future that has shared prosperity for every citizen.

We have had in-depth discussions with our brothers and have agreed that Kenya is greater than any one of us. We will make whatever sacrifices need to be made so that we can consolidate and take Kenya to the next level," said Ruto.

He noted that the ANC leader stood true to the times and projected a clear assessment of the nation’s challenges that need to be addressed by the next administration.

“Musalia Mudavadi has spoken to the heart of our nation; to the issues of our nation; to the challenges of our nation. He has stood tall, like no other time.

I want to confirm on behalf of UDA and my team that we will work with ANC and Ford Kenya, and all other parties, that want to walk this journey of bringing Kenya together,” added Ruto.

According to Ruto, the show of unity at Bomas where Mudavadi’s One Kenya Alliance (OKA) co-principals Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka and Gideon Moi walked out, marked a new page in the political discourse of the nation.

“We are going to raise the bar of leadership so that deceit, lies and conmanship does not become part of the equation in Kenya. Every leader’s word must be their bond at the very minimum,” said Ruto.

Hinging his statement on Mudavadi’s clarion call against state capture, the DP said Kenya must be rid of the weaponization of institutions for political purposes as such actions make the country a preserve of those in power.

“We as a nation must resist the criminalization of decent or alternative views. The justice system cannot be weaponized to drive political narratives and programmes, and erect political projects.

Kenya must belong to everybody; as ordinary as they come. Together we are going to stand up to these games, and the processes that want to take away from the democracy and the constitution that we have,” said Ruto.

In what could mark the beginning of major political realignments, Ruto announced that his UDA, Musalia's ANC and Wetang'ula's Ford Kenya will jointly head to to Nakuru on Wednesday, Western Kenya on Friday and Central Kenya on Saturday.

Mudavadi’s co-OKA principals Kalonzo and Moi walked out of the NDC.

In a statement to newsrooms, the two leaders said they were not safe with some of the invited guests, led by DP Ruto.

“Unfortunately, we have to part ways since some of his friends are not our friends and we are unsafe with them. We are therefore moving to higher grounds where Kenyans are safer.

It is time to move forward, it is time to end the nasty political games," read the statement signed by OKA spokesperson Fredrick Okango.