Kalonzo, Uhuru and Ruto in new coalition talks
Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka (centre), Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta (right) and Eldoret North MP William Ruto (left) after a consultative meeting at The Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi, October 4, 2012. The three presidential aspirants kicked off fresh negotiations to form a coalition ahead of the general election.
What you need to know:
- Mr Musyoka, Mr Kenyatta, and Mr William Ruto deliberate on whether to form a coalition before or after the March 4, 2013 polls.
- Aides say the three politicians deferred debate on the matter after failing to reach a consensus.
Three leading presidential contenders Thursday kicked off fresh negotiations to form a coalition ahead of the next General Election.
Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, and Eldoret North MP William Ruto held a two-and-half hour meeting deliberating on whether to form a coalition before or after the March 4, 2013 polls.
Aides to the presidential hopefuls said the three politicians deferred debate on the matter after failing to reach a consensus.
Mr Musyoka, who convened the lunch hour meeting is said to have pushed the case for a pre-election coalition but this was rejected by Mr Ruto and Mr Kenyatta who both pushed for a coalition after the elections.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Mr Ruto said they had discussed matters related to the next polls.
“We have been consulting among various political players and looking at the various timelines before the General Election. We want to take these consultations to the next level,” said the Eldoret North MP.
“Together with others who are not here with us today (Thursday), we want to chart a political discourse as we go into the elections,” he said.
He, however, declined to state which other politicians they were in consultations with saying it was premature to disclose their identities.
“You will see them, just keep your eyes wide open,” he said with a light touch.
Conspicuously missing from the meeting was Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa who has been a key player in previous efforts by presidential contenders in the so called G7 Alliance to go into the next elections as a united force.
The Eldoret North MP said they had resolved to push for issue based political campaigns ahead of the next General Election in order to foster peace in the country.
“We are committed to ensuring that we go to the general election on the basis of issues so that we keep the country united,” he added.
Mr Kalonzo was the first to arrive at the hotel at 12.50 pm. He was followed thirty minutes later by Mr Ruto while Mr Kenyatta drove in at 1.47 pm.
