Will Third Force upset Uhuru, Ruto alliance?

By Jacob Ng’etich and Juma Kwayera

Initially billed as a two-horse race, the Kenyan elections is bracing for a ‘Third Force’ that will likely chip away the fortunes of Raila and Uhuru duel.

Not only are Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Deputy Prime Minister Mudavadi closing ranks quickly, they have also attracted the interest of other parties in what is quickly turning out to be Force to rival the ODM and The National Alliance TNA and United Republican Party URP axes.

According to insiders, the new alliance hopes to offer a middle ground between the Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto’s political pact which has been branded as a referendum on the ICC cases and that of Prime Minister Raila Odinga who is ‘admired and hated’ in almost equal measure and is feared by his political opponents.

They say that the Mudavadi and Kalonzo ticket represents a sober, thoughtful alternative which was reassuring and non-polarising to the country.

Ikolomani MP Dr Boni Khalwale said the alliance between the two and more other parties that were still engaged in the alliance talks, was not only the third force, but the winning team.

“We are not rushing to sign this deal because we want to bring on board every body that has been left out by the Uhuru-Ruto alliance, the parties interested in joining the alliance will not be locked out,” said khalwale.

He said they holding  talks with other six parties that had declared interest in the alliance and their technical team would expanded to include them.

Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo said the Third Force offered the prospect for a coalition of alternative political parties marginalised by the aggressive tactics of the other two.

“We want to give a home to the other Kenyans in different parties who have been over looked and we promise to make the deal an all inclusive one and a true reflection of our Nation,” said Kilonzo.

Modalities

A source at the UDF party who was not mandated to talk on behalf of the alliance said Mudavadi had met with the Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi and Siakago MP Lenny Kivuti to discuss modalities of the their engagement.

“There are other parties like Kanu, Ford People, Kaddu Asili which are currently in discussions with the group, including Kanu which has mandated former Industrialisation PS John Lonyangapuo to spearhead the talks with the alliance,” said the Source.

He said the alliance was also looking to incorporate Narc leader Martha Karua in their talks a week before the deal making period elapses.

Parties have until 4th of December to deposit their pre election agreements with the registrar of political parties failure to which they will be forced to go independently.

 UDF Chairman Dan Ameyo said the alliance was also looking at more players joining into the political pact and indicated that Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi was already in talks with Kalonzo and Mudavadi for an alliance.

“The deal will not be rushed because the ‘Third Force’ wants to bring other parties to the fold, uhuru Ruto alliance has locked their house and we are telling them that Kenya belongs to all and we are ready to bring them on board,” said Ameyo.

However, as the deal enters into the last stretch of negotiations, the question of who is take the mantle to lead a ‘Third Force’ for presidency has somewhat slowed down efforts to seal pre-election alliance pact.

As the alliance talks continue, both parties agree that they are bogged down by some ‘housekeeping’ issues primarily over who will step down for the other.

Khalwale, a member of the eight-man team assembled by the two to work out a formula for a pre-election alliance, agrees to the existence