NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 30 – The One Kenya Alliance (OKA) leaders kicked-off their two-day campaigns in the Western region on Friday where they reiterated that they will not be pushed into throwing their weight behind Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga.
Amani National Congress (ANC) Leader Musalia Mudavadi told a rally in Kakamega that they were under pressure from unnamed emissaries to back the opposition chief as part of the handshake pact between Odinga and President Kenyatta.
“We will not, we shall not and we will never allow anybody to impose leadership on the people of Kenya. This message must go out, we will not tolerate a situation where we are being coerced or receiving late night calls where we are told that we must join this side or that other side,” Mudavadi said.
He added that OKA is not a closed shop, saying “we are reaching out to other political parties and Kenyans.”
On his part, Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka discounted media reports that a bitter fight for the OKA presidential ticket between him and Mudavadi is threatening to tear apart the nascent political union.
“Don’t worry about who will fly the flag for OKA in the Presidential contest, trust me our ability to love this Nation beyond self has been demonstrated.”
He continued, “So you journalists should not peddle propaganda that this one is meeting this one, that one was seen meeting that one. I want to assure you that Kalonzo and Wetangula and Musalia and Gideon are together and they are one indivisible team, and the one who will be carrying the flag will be the first among equals.”
There are reports that Kalonzo is secretly negotiating with ODM a for a possible political deal, triggering speculation that OKA could collapse.
The reports in a section of the print media claimed that in counter move, Mudavadi’s allies submitted an application for an alternative coalition to the Office of Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) in what could be a fallback plan in case things get out of control at OKA.
ANC has registered the Kenya Kwanza Alliance (KKA), suggesting that Mudavadi is willing to chart his own political path.
KANU Chairman and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi said the Western Kenya tour was only the beginning of a series of events that will mark the beginning of our 2022 campaigns.
“There are those who have been saying that OKA is all about boardroom meetings. Today, we have come to tell you that we are prepared, everything is ready and the train has left the station. I want to tell Kenyans, particularly the people of Mulembe, that this journey we are going on, you will have only one shot, if you do not back your brother Musalia under OKA, securing the presidency will be a pipe dream,” Senator Moi said.
Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya) said they will deliver a new dawn for Kenya if elected next year.
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