NASA to name key team to set coalition rules

Opposition leaders Musalia Mudavadi(left) Kalonzo Musyoka(center)Raila Odinga,Moses wetangula and Nick Salat during the launch of NASA at Bomas of Kenya. (Photo:Beverlyne Musili/Standard)

Opposition parties will on Monday unveil a team to draft rules of engagement and structures for the National Supper Alliance (NASA).

Each of the parties will pick three people to spearhead the process and identify a suitable team to take on President Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto in the August polls.

The Standard on Saturday has learned that the team will be expected to finalise their work and hand in their report by end of February.

The team according to a source at Orange House, will hit the road running from next week for one and half months. The source said 15 parties have so far confirmed willingness to work together.

The main parties in the alliance are ODM, Wiper, Ford Kenya, Amani National Congress (ANC), Kanu, Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM), Narc United Democratic Party and Muungano parties.

On Wednesday, Opposition leaders led by CORD co-principals Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula, Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia and Kanu secretary general Nick Salat publicly agreed to work together.

The leaders observed that their unity was the only sure ticket to dislodge Jubilee from power in the 2017 General Election.

Mr Wetang’ula in an exclusive interview confided that the leaders had been holding separate private meetings to explore a single opposition assault on the Jubilee Party.

“Our interest for Kenya and the need to save this country from another dampening term by the Jubilee Party has embolden us to come together, indeed we are talking and looking at how we will remove the poor leadership currently in power,” said the Bungoma Senator.

Ford Kenya secretary general Eseli Simiyu said they were deliberating on the names that would be part of the team to craft a formidable Opposition.

Sharing of positions

“The group will work mainly on the rules of engagement, the issue of our presidential candidate is not a priority because all our luminaries agree that they will support whoever is picked as the flag bearer,” said Dr Eseli (Tongaren MP).

He added,” there are more parties coming up to join the alliance and we must leave the window open.”

Kalonzo and Mudavadi confirmed that talks about NASA were ongoing.

“We would not come out and share with our political enemies, for fear, they will try and scuttle it, but it should be clear that we are determined to form the next government next year, we need to save Kenya from the hands of Jubilee Party,” said the Wiper leader.

The ANC leader said that the alliance was an attempt by the opposition leaders to agree and chart a better way for the country.

“Jubilee Party has failed Kenyans, they are on a looting spree, they borrow, put Kenyans in debt, then steal what they have just borrowed, it cannot get worse than that, we are saying NASA itawanasa (NASA will trap them) and ensure they do not run the government beyond 2017,” said Mudavadi.

Mudavadi said the Muungano Maalum was not about individuals but a group of leaders with the interest of Kenyans at heart.

Mr Salat disclosed that the team was part of efforts by the alliance to finalise the agreement for a possible formation of NASA by late February or early March.

The Kanu secretary general said the team is mandated to put together a document that will guide the alliance operations including sharing of positions.

“The team will look at variety of issues and is not limited to anything including creations of positions of leadership so that every part of the country will feel included in the unlike the current situation where winner takes it all,” said Salat.

Salat said the talks will not be spearheaded by politicians. “That is why they have not been high profile, we have experts who are working on the nitty gritty and they were allowed to look at several options in the making of a big alliance.”