Musalia kicked out of Jubilee

By GEOFFREY MOSOKU

The Jubilee Alliance finally resolved to kick out Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi following days of wrangling over the method of nominating their presidential candidate.  

Eldoret North MP William Ruto and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday announced that they had ‘mutually’ agreed by consent to part ways and allow the UDF leader continue with his presidential campaigns after collapse of their negotiations.

Ruto said; “We have had intense consultations from yesterday which extended to this morning and have resolved by mutual consent to let our partners UDF proceed with their campaigns and us (TNA and URP) proceed with our programmes.”

"Given our inability to agree on the way forward, we have agreed as gentlemen not to distract our plans as we disengage and allow our brothers in UDF to continue on their own," Uhuru added.

The two were addressing journalists at URP Presidential secretariat moments after receiving assistant ministers Mohamed Mohamed (Energy) and Mohamed Gabow (Special Programmes) who quit ODM for URP. The leaders who defected were joined by former Mandera central MP Billow Kerrow and a host of aspirants mainly drawn from Mandera county

A public standoff between Musalia and Uhuru over how to pick a Jubilee Alliance presidential candidate has been in the media headlines with secret deals between the two coming to light.

Uhuru had agreed to back Musalia for the ticket, but rescinded his decision insisting that the two face each other at joint nominations while claiming he was coerced by dark forces to make the commitment.

Musalia is said to have told off Ruto and Uhuru on Thursday evening saying he was willing to take a gamble and be on his own instead of working with ‘people who are dishonesty and lack integrity’ even after they sought to convince him that they can choreograph the NDC to nominate him as the coalition candidate.

This was in reference to Uhuru’s arm-twisting  after he beat about-turn and rescinded a promise  what the UDF team considers flimsy grounds; the devil’s influence.

Yesterday’s announcement ended a political engagement between TNA/URP and UDF which lasted exactly sixteen days having begun on the evening of 4th December 2012.  

Uhuru and Ruto had days earlier unveiled their alliance which was cemented on 3rd December with their pact deposited at the office of the Registrar of Political parties.

However, the following day Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Trade Minister Moses Wetamg’ula announced their Cord alliance; which appears to have sent panic in the Jubilee alliance with the two leaders accompanied by MPs Chirau Mwakwere and Najib Balala dashing to Musalia’s Riverside Drive home.

Unknown to his peers, Uhuru had a ready written document committing himself to drop out of the race and support Musalia as the jubilee candidate. The DPM later disowned the document claiming it was the work of evil forces that sought to undermine the UP/TNA agreement.

During yesterday’s press briefing, the Gatundu south MP defended his actions saying he meant well for the country and its unity when promising to step aside for the Sabatia MP.

“Because our principal calling is not about individuals and we were willing to concede positions for the sake of unity and reconciliation but we now sincerely wish him well,” he added.

The DPM refused to answer a straight question of whether he had duped Musalia and only answered to the affirmative when asked another question of whether the ‘devil that misled’ him has been overcome.

Uhuru had hijacked the URP press conference as it became apparent that Musalia who was headed for a rally in Nyeri will announce the divorce and thus rushed to join Ruto so that they are the first one to make the revelations of parting ways.

The Gatundu South MP took a swipe at main rivals Cord alliance saying ‘the ODM ship was sinking and no Cord can hold it together.”

The jubilee leaders announced that they will be in Tononoka, Mombasa today for a rally before returning to Nairobi where they will have a delegate’s conference to endorse their line up tomorrow (Sunday).

They further said a joint statement signed by chairmen of URP, TNA and UDF will be sent alter in the day to newsrooms to announcing their disengagement.