Everything ‘ready’ for CORD meeting at Bomas

CORD principals Moses Wetangula (left), Kalozo Musyoka (center), and Raila Odinga flanked by Cord MPs during a press conference at Capital Hill on 22/12/16 [Photo:BEVERLYNE MUSILI/Standard]

Everything is in place for a meeting at Bomas that the Opposition says will alter the country's political landscape.

Officials of various parties who are pushing for formation of a National Super Alliance (Nasa) yesterday confirmed preparations were in high gear for the event that will be attended by over 3,000 elected leaders and aspirants.

The Opposition leaders are expected to make major political pronouncements on Nasa, voter registration that is set to start on Monday and the controversial electoral laws, which were signed into law on Monday.

CORD co-principals Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang'ula as well as Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi are expected to hold a separate meeting this morning to deliberate on possible line-ups in the alliance's structure before meeting the parties' delegates.

ANC yesterday held a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in preparations for the convention, where the party announced support for a united front by the Opposition to face President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto in the August elections.

Some ODM MPs also held "an informal caucus meeting" ahead of the grand gathering, according to the party's Director of Political Affairs Opiyo Wandayi.

Mr Kalonzo's Wiper Democratic Movement and Mr Wetang'ula's Ford Kenya did not hold any meeting but confirmed everything was in place for the Bomas meeting.

Mudavadi said his party was fully behind formation of a broad-based Opposition alliance.

"That is why we support the joint Opposition meeting taking place tomorrow (today) at Bomas of Kenya. This meeting that is key for opposition unity will brainstorm and develop strategies that will guarantee a credible election," he said.

"When you look at Nasa we want to go beyond just political parties. We want to reach out to religious organisation, civil societies and youth groups of this country."

Mudavadi yesterday moved to allay fears of a possible fallout, saying their main focus is to dislodge the Jubilee administration from power and they will not be distracted.