Alliance maps out strategies to defeat Raila

Five politicians on Monday held talks on strengthening their alliance ahead of the 2012 elections.

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Eldoret North MP William Ruto attended the meeting that was held at the Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi.

Others in attendance were Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa and Trade minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere, who is said to have represented Internal Security minister George Saitoti.

Aides of the five politicians said the meeting reviewed the PNU alliance victory in the just- ended Kamukunji by-election and explored ways of joining forces to defeat Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s ODM in future political contests.

The politicians, who declined to speak to the press after the meeting, are said to have discussed various strategies on how to remain united as the country gears towards the next General Election expected next year.

“It was purely political. They wanted to send a clear signal to doubting Thomases that the alliance can work. The victory during the Kamukunji by-election proved that the PNU alliance was alive and strong and this is what they want to build on,” said a personal assistant to one of the politicians privy to the meeting’s deliberations.

The meeting comes on the eve of Mr Ruto’s trip to The Hague for the International Criminal Court’s confirmation hearings on allegations that he, alongside five others, bears the biggest responsibility for the post-election violence. (READ: Ruto group in prayers ahead of ICC hearing)

The five politicians refused to talk to journalists who had camped outside the hotel but their aides revealed that they had discussed various ways of strengthening their unity and penetrating regions still dominated by ODM.

“Even though many of them want to run for the presidency, they have agreed to remain united and work together up to the next General Election. They are really determined to make the unity work,” said one of the aides.

Of the five, only Mr Mwakwere has not declared his intention to run for the presidency during next year’s election.

Two weeks ago, Mr Odinga poured scorn on his rivals’ unity, saying it was doomed to fail.