UDF chairman Osman Hassan disowns deal with CORD

By Daniel Psirmoi and Bryan Tumwa

Kenya: United Democratic Front (UDF) national chairman Osman Hassan has dismissed talks of alleged horse trading between his party and CORD ahead of the by-elections for Lamu and Bungoma counties.

Hassan disowned the deal announced last week by 14 senators allied to CORD, saying it was a personal agenda of Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale aimed at assisting Bungoma Senate candidate Moses Wetang’ula.

The contentious deal purported that UDF would back CORD co-principal Wetang’ula to recapture the Bungoma Senate seat.

It would mean withdrawing support for New Ford Kenya party and in exchange, CORD would help UDF’s Issa Timamy recapture the Lamu governorship.

Speaking in Mumias on Sunday, Hassan dismissed the existence of such an agreement in the party, which Khalwale announced during a press conference with a group of CORD senators in Nairobi last week.