Western Kenya upbeat over talks between Raila Odinga and Musalia Mudavadi

Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi during a recent press rally. [PHOTO: FILE]

KISUMU: There is excitement in the western region about ongoing talks between CORD leader Raila Odinga and Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi over prospects of an alliance for 2017 poll.

The excitement has been fuelled by Mr Mudavadi, who said last week he had held talks with Raila over the possibility of working together again to help oust the Jubilee coalition from power.

There are jitters in some quarters that the return of Mudavadi, who was the former Prime Minister’s deputy and Raila’s close ally during the coalition government, will alter the prevailing political dynamics and balance of power and affect the status of the other two CORD principals Moses Wetang’ula and Kalonzo Musyoka.

Questions have been raised from some quarters over whether or not Mudavadi’s return could jeopardise earlier agreements and power-sharing formula being pursued by CORD leader and his co-principals whose joint candidature in 2013 was unsuccessful but have remained united.

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Yesterday, Orange Democratic Movement Treasurer Timothy Bosire, MPs Jackoyo Midiwo, Opiyo Wandayi and Opondo Kaluma said they were looking forward to Mudavadi’s return.

The MPs said it was not only Mudavadi that the Orange party wants to work with, but a wider network of like-minded politicians and parties.

Mr Bosire said the move was welcomed as it showed that both parties were reading from the same script against a common opponent, describing the move a normal realignment.

He said Mudavadi is not new to the coalition and if his return is founded on principle and a resolve to correct past mistakes, then they would have a stronger force in the 2017 elections.

“I find his return acceptable but he must demonstrate firmness and resolve to work with the team,” said Bosire, who is also the MP for Kitutu Masaba.

He said the biggest challenge of such reunions was ability of partners to remain united to the last minute.

Said Midiwo: “Mr Mudavadi is highly welcome back home. There will be no problem working with him to liberate Kenyans from the Jubilee leadership.”

And Mr Kaluma added that “we are eagerly waiting to welcome Mudavadi to work with CORD. All serious party leaders are welcome and we have discovered that Mudavadi, just like the other CORD principals, stands a chance of defeating Jubilee in 2017 if we come together.”

ODM Director of Political Affairs Opiyo Wandayi said CORD was approaching political leaders who are dissatisfied with the Jubilee government, and Mudavadi happens to be one of them.

He said the ANC leader was welcome back to “where he belongs” and was free to give his ideas as the coalition works out its formula for picking the flag bearer.

“This movement carries the hopes and aspirations of the majority of Kenyans with the motivation to rid the nation of Jubilee’s misrule,” said Wandayi.

The Standard has learnt the Mudavadi team has been holding a series of meetings to analyse the implications of his renewed friendship with Raila.

Mudavadi’s personal assistant Kibisu Kabatesi said such an idea was welcome and will be treated with the seriousness it deserved if it become a reality.

“There are no permanent friends or enemies in politics. I have no idea of any of the political parties currently discussing the reunion within any of their organs, but nothing can be ignored in politics. We are ready to engage if such idea is fronted,” said Kabatesi, a veteran media personality.

Jubilee leaders have been courting leaders from western region to join the coalition ahead of the 2017 General Election after some of them openly indicated they were ready to work with the Jubilee Government.

Raila and Mudavadi first met in the US  when they attended a congress by the Democratic  Party presidential candidate Hillary Clinton two weeks ago.  Both of them have confirmed having met to discuss the political landscape in Kenya and the possibilities of working together again.

All the three major parties in the coalition seem to be comfortable with the ANC leader’s return, and are ready to work on a formula which will see him accommodated as an equal partner in the coalition, adding that Mudavadi has no option but to work with the opposition, given that the Jubilee vehicle to presidency is booked till 2032.

University of Nairobi lecturer and political scientist Adams Oloo said an Amani-CORD alliance was possible and workable.

“Such reunions have happened in the Kenyan political history before and they are bound to happen again towards the next elections. We saw it in 2002 and eventually brought Mwai Kibaki to power,” said Dr Oloo.

He said in the run-up to the 2002 election, former President Mwai Kibaki, Raila, former Vice President  Moody Awori, Martha Karua, Kalonzo Musyoka and the late Prof George Saitoti,  all united and formed  the  National Rainbow  Coalition (NARC) which they used to oust Kanu from power after 24 years of rule.

“When many senior politicians joined NARC, the original agreements were discarded and new ones crafted to cater for everybody. This is how they came up with the Summit,” said Oloo.

The same views are held by KTN’s political analyst Jared Okelo who said CORD was in the process of restoring support in their strongholds.

According to Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa, the Luhya Nation engagements have been pushing for a formula which will see their votes consolidated in one basket after the jolt occasioned by the departure of MPs Ababu Namwamba, Paul Otuoma and John Waluke.

He said Mudavadi’s return was one of the issues that had been widely discussed in such fora, including reaching out to Namwamba to slow down on his ‘third force’ mission.