NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 10 – Kenya African National Union (KANU) Party Leader Gideon Moi differed with veteran independence party member Francis Atwoli on Friday over the outfit’s continued subscription to the One Kenya Alliance (OKA).
Responding to a call by the trade unionist to quit OKA which brings together Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi, Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka and FORD Kenya’s Moses Wetangula, Moi said Odinga’s and OKA’s interests were mutual.
“We are allied forces, Baba’s (Raila’s) gain, in gaining ground is our gain, when we gain ground on our side its baba’s gain. The forces are one, we are allied,” Moi said.
Atwoli fired the first salvo as he urged the KANU leader to quit the alliance saying the independence party had lost faith in the alliance.
“Your late father asked us not to leave you. I want to assure you we will not leave you in OKA. You should join Raila,” said Atwoli.
Moi said he was confident of a consensus ahead of 2022.
Atwoli’s comments were made against the backdrop of failure by Mudavadi, Musyoka and Wetangula to honour invitations to attend the Azimio la Umoja Convention in Kasarani on Friday where Odinga’s presidential candidature in 2022 was endorsed.
Mudavadi and Wetangula both announced the unavailability on Thursday citing personal reasons. Musyoka indicated that he was in Juba for official engagements at President Uhuru Kenyatta’s special envoy to South Sudan.
At least twenty governors and six Cabinet Secretaries were among delegates attending Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja Convention.
Odinga was expected to formally declare his 2022 presidential bid after a nod by delegates mostly drawn from his ODM party.
The ODM leader has been endorsed by the Mount Kenya Foundation (MKF), a league of top business leaders from the central region.
The MKF declaration on Wednesday said their decision to back the ODM leader’s presidential bid had the backing of President Kenyatta.
MKF said President Kenyatta had also cleared them to grace Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja convention.
Odinga has hinged his 2022 campaign of a unity platform, visiting ten regions to popularize the Azimio la Umoja clarion call.
MKF Chairperson Peter Munga stated that their ‘Muthamaki’ (leader) had given them the go-ahead to rally behind Odinga.
“If he had not given us the blessing to go for Azimio la Umoja we would not have been here, he is our ‘Muthamaki’(leader),” said Munga.
