Anxiety, high expectations as super alliance talks gather pace

That will leave ODM’s supremo Raila Odinga as the only Opposition presidency contender yet to be endorsed by his party to contest in the August 8, 2017 elections.

Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula took the lead when he convened a meeting at Kakamega’s Muliro Garden’s last year that hundreds of youth allied to ODM tried to disrupt. The latest entrant into the alliance, Amani National Congress’ Musalia Mudavadi, who is the main proponent of a super alliance to kick Jubilee out, was given the green light on Thursday at the party delegates congress.

United front

Leaders have welcomed the super alliance but anxiety remained high over who will be the flag bearer in 2017.

The choice of the opposition candidate has caused jitters in CORD, with each of the three co-principals claiming they were the best suited to face Jubilee Party’s President Uhuru Kenyatta.

ODM leaders led by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho have endorsed Raila for the top seat, the Ford Kenya group led by Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale are rooting for Wetang’ula while Wiper MPs want Kalonzo to fly CORD’s flag. Mudavadi says he is the opposition’s best bet to send Jubilee packing.

There is a lot of excitement in the air in Opposition circles over the mooted super alliance, but leaders across the country have received the news with anxiety and excitement.

The opposition has many times failed to forge a united front, with most candidates going it alone in the 1992, 1997 and Mudavadi doing the same in 2013, apart from 2002 when all major players ganged up to remove Kanu from power.

But despite National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) win in 2002, the honey moon among opposition leaders who formed the government quickly dissipated leading to a fall out between king maker Raila and his Liberal Democratic party allies with President Mwai Kibaki.

Wiper Secretary General Hassan Omar said the alliance must learn from the botched experience of Narc in 2003. As much as unity was important, it must be anchored on a transformative agenda different from Jubilee’s, Omar said.

“It should never be just about the excitement of removing Jubilee from power, otherwise we will open the doors for every form of liability to come on board,” the senator warned.

He said for the super alliance to succeed, it must not ride on empty euphoria, must be based on generational change and must have an ideological grounding.

“The whole thing of creating positions and organograms is foolish and clownish. Unity should be anchored on purpose, not positions. It is possible for people to galvanise around a vision, not opportunities,” Omar said.

He also warned against the alliance engaging in a game of musical chairs with regards to Kenya’s transformation agenda. He said the alliance must work out a clear strategy for change and reforms.

Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama also expressed caution, only welcoming the unborn political outfit if its intention was to bring all opposition leaders on board to help dislodge Jubilee from power.

“To remove this government from power, we must start from somewhere. If coining a new name will bring Kenyans together with a single purpose of bringing change to this country, then I support it. I don’t care whether its called Nasa, Sky or Moon,” said Muthama.

He envisages a coalition which has the faces of the whole country and whose main agenda will be to apply checks and balances and bring development, irrespective of who is the president of the alliance.

Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini Ford, Kenya) a key Wetang’ula ally, told The Standard on Sunday that there is no need to worry as Mudavadi who is also from Western gets into CORD.

Fresh hope

He is certain that the opposition could accommodate Mudavadi and his party leader Wetang’ula.

But Khalwale and Silverse Lisamula (Shinyalu, ODM) agreed that Nasa was the only hope to free Kenya from mass looting and corruption.

“Our joy is that Mudavadi is in the wining team. I only urge our opposition supporters to be content with the leader we will usher to them as our flag bearer. That way, we will prevail to the 2017 presidency,” said Khalwale.

Governors and MPs who spoke to The Standard on Sunday agreed that the super alliance gives fresh hope to Kenyans who want to see President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto out of power by next year.

“Kenyans are waiting to see if this Alliance will be long awaited saviour. We should be able to put aside our selfish interests and set our goals at achieving the needs of this country. Individual needs will be achieved later,” said Timothy Bosire, the ODM National Treasurer.

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, who is also the ODM deputy party leader, said Kenyans who have been crying for change are excited over the supper alliance.

“The negotiations are still on and everybody will obviously be claiming a high stake but it is still too early to tell the outcome. What we should, however, be keen on is a strong coalition of like-minded people with a mission and a vision for this country,” said Oparanya.

He said there should be no fears of who will get the top seat if they work together in the same spirit as they did to bring the Kanu regime to an end in 2002.

ODM think tank member Adams Oloo a unity of purpose amid the intense jostling from all top contenders will not scuttle the bid for a strong alliance.

“Lessons have already been learnt and whichever method is used to select the flag bearer, if the losers support that candidate, then they have a stronger force to face the incumbents,” said Dr Oloo.

—Report by Kepher Otieno, Robert Amalemba, Dalton Nyabundi and Eric Abuga