Kanu asks Raila to pair with Gedion Moi for top seat

Baringo Senator Gideon Moi welcomes former Prime Minister Raila Odinga whn he visited former president Daniel Arap Moi in Kabarak on 12-4-2018. [David Kanda/Standard]

Kanu leaders in Nyanza have welcomed and declared to support the proposed alliance between Opposition leader Raila Odinga and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi ahead of the next 2022 general elections.

But the leaders disclosed that they will embark on the new journey to market the two leaders as best poised to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta - next year once they are done with the current planned nationwide recruitment of new members.

According to Kanu Deputy National Organizing Secretary Jack Nyambega, and Kisumu County Kanu coordinator Milton Obote, the party is currently working on logistics to hold countrywide grassroots elections next year.

Already, Kanu Secretary General Nick Salat has directed the branch offices countrywide to embark on reopening its closed offices and make them operational in readiness for the mass membership recruitment exercise.

Part of their resolution underscored, was the need to reactivate the party in order for it to participate in the coming general election including and not limited to cementing their relationship with new like-minded political parties and individuals.

Yesterday, speaking to the press in Kisumu after the Nakuru meeting, Nyambega said the party was ready to work with identified parties and good people in readiness to build a formidable alliance ahead of 2022 as the succession race gathers pace.

''All leadership positions will be thrown open in 2022 and so everyone who feels he has what it takes to give our proposed alliance.. a challenge is welcome, although Kanu has not yet seen a challenge to our proposed new alliance,’’ Nyambega claimed.

Their hope now is for Kanu and Raila alliance which also seeks to rope in Amani National Congress (ANC), leader Musalia Mudavadi into the new fold,  to succeed and to help solve the Country’s political woes as they look down the barrel of political oblivion.

Salat said the independence party mandated Senator Moi to continue with his proactive initiative to reach out to like-minded leaders in the country to ensure successful implementation of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four Agenda.

The party, he affirmed, will continue supporting the Building Bridges Initiative “which in many ways was the rallying call for Kanu through its philosophy of peace, love and unity”.

Kanu, according to Salat has also resolved to engage more regularly with all elected and nominated leaders including branch officials in order to give clarity and direction on party policies, programmes and projects.

So far Senator Moi who is the Kanu national chairman has hinted at forging a political pact with Raila in 2022.

The two have, however, kept the country guessing on what the deal could be between them, with Kenyans left second guessing who will be President and who will be a Deputy if the Alliance works out?

But as things stand, a silent but growing push by leaders from Rift Valley and Nyanza to have the two partner in the next General Election is imminent after a recent tour of Mr Moi to Mr. Raila’s strongholds — Homa Bay County — for two days signaled.

"Baada ya handshake, Raila na mimi tuko njia moja, ile urafiki ulikuwa na Baba utaendelea, tunapanga njia yenye tutapeleka wananchi ile Canaan Raila alisema. (After the handshake, Raila and I are one thing, the friendship between him and my father will continue. We will walk together and lay a road map to Canaan)," said Mr Moi

But what remains untested is what the broader Kenyan community backlash might be to the proposed Kanu alliance, especially from Deputy President William Ruto’s brigade who have vowed to campaign against Raila, currently rehabilitating his profile ahead of 2022.

Although, Raila has not yet declared his intention to contest again, having pulled out of the repeat October 2017 general elections, his lieutenants maintain he was still as fit to run for Presidency, with Siaya Senator James Orengo frequently echoing the statement.