Amani yet to decide on coalition to back

PHOTO | FILE Former Amani deputy presidential candidate Jeremiah Kioni has said the party will put Kenyans' interests first when choosing which coalition to work with.

The Amani Coalition has declared that it will tread carefully in deciding whether to form an alliance with Jubilee or Cord.

After deliberations in the just concluded retreat in Naivasha, Amani leaders decided that they would enter into serious negotiations based on the country’s interests and not individual benefit.

“Although Amani campaigned with the intention of forming the next government, any post-election agreement would be done with Kenyans’ interests superseding individual concerns,” former Amani deputy presidential candidate Jeremiah Kioni said.

“We made promises to Kenyans during our campaign period and any post-election pact has to be done with these things in mind,” said Mr Kioni.

He added that the coalition was yet to decide on whether to support Cord or Jubilee.

When negotiating, it is prudent to “angle for something tangible.”

“Taking a cup of tea with Jubilee does not mean we have moved to the alliance,” he added.

On the issue of Amani supporting one of its MPs to vie for the deputy Speaker’s post, Mr Kioni said they were looking at available options including chairing committees.

A coalition member privy to the deliberations but who declined to be named said Amani had the “strength” to tilt the numbers in favour of either Jubilee or Cord during the Speaker’s election.

Tilt political equation

“Any of the two leading coalitions cannot afford to ignore the Amani factor in tilting the political equation inside Parliament,” said the source.

Others interviewed include Bungoma governor-elect Kenneth Lusaka who defined the retreat as a bonding session for Amani partners and a chance to evaluate how the alliance performed in the polls.