Kalonzo rejects job as G7 strikes power deal

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka on Thursday missed a meeting where presidential aspirants allied to the G7 shared key posts in a pre-election pact led by Mr Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr William Ruto.

MPs from Mr Musyoka’s Wiper party said he had refused a position — thought to be majority leader in Parliament — he had been offered in the alliance.

The meeting was held at Mr Kenyatta’s (TNA) State House Road residence and was attended by Mr Ruto (URP), Mr Eugene Wamalwa (New Ford Kenya) and Mrs Charity Ngilu (Narc).

Mvita MP Najib Balala of the Republican Congress Party, Environment minister Chirau Mwakwere, and MPs Aden Duale (URP), Kiema Kilonzo (Narc), Charles Keter (URP) and Musikari Kombo (New Ford-K) also attended.

“In the coming days, the issues that were discussed this morning will start to crystalise and the solutions by the like-minded leaders will be presented across all the 47 counties of our beloved republic,” Mr Kombo said on behalf of the team.

They also agreed to drum up support for the coalition in their strongholds before embarking on joint rallies from November 21.

Mr Wamalwa and Mr Kombo will cover Western, Mr Kenyatta Mt Kenya region, Ms Ngilu and Mr Kilonzo Ukambani, Mr Balala Coast and Mr Ruto Rift Valley and Northern Kenya.

Sources said the coalition agreement will be signed a day before the joint rallies start, with Mr Kenyatta as the presidential candidate and Mr Ruto as running-mate.

Mr Wamalwa will go for majority leader while Ms Ngilu and Mr Mwakwere will share the two slots for Speaker of Parliament and Senate.

MPs allied to Mr Musyoka said the G7 alliance leaders had given him a raw deal.

“There is no way we would be able to sell it (he declined to name the position) to our people. The VP told us he rejected what he was offered and we are in agreement that it is rejectable with no redeeming consequences,” said Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo.

Donate it to others

Mr David Musila, the Wiper party chairman, said: “It cannot work and it is not acceptable. If anything, they can donate it to other leaders and go ahead with their coalition,” he said.

Machakos Town MP Victor Munyaka warned that the G7 will regret embarrassing the VP.

However, Mr Duale said URP was still holding talks with Mr Musyoka and Mr Mudavadi in a bid to create a broader alliance that will win the next elections.

“We in URP are talking to him (Mr Musyoka) and Mr Mudavadi. We believe in the unity of the country and we want to create an agenda for Kenyans,” he said.

Mr Musyoka has started meeting other presidential aspirants in a bid to craft a coalition with them. Three days ago, he met Mr Mudavadi on a possible coalition between Wiper and UDF.

A six-member team formed to work out the modalities of the negotiations met on Thursday. Mr Musila, who chairs the team, said: “We are talking and if anything concrete comes up, we will let you know.”

MPs Boni Khalwale and Charles Kilonzo, who are members of the team, said they will meet again next week.

Mr Musyoka and Mr Odinga have been warming up to each other since last month, five years after parting acrimoniously ahead of the 2007 election.

Kangundo MP Johnstone Muthama hosted Mr Odinga two weeks ago, and addressed a rally in Kendu Bay with ODM law makers last week.

On Saturday, Mr Mutula Kilonzo will host Lands Minister James Orengo in Mbooni at the launch of his bid for the Senate seat.

“We want to talk to everybody. And we have asked our supporters to let us talk to anybody even if it means we have to engage ODM so as to ensure we are not isolated from the next government,” he said.

Cabinet minister Paul Otuoma said Mr Odinga was no longer interested in ethnic coalitions and will go directly to voters for support.

“We want our candidate to go to the people and seek votes from them so that we are not seen to be uniting two or more tribes against the rest of Kenya because we want this country to remain united,” he said.

Mr Kenyatta briefed the team on the Wednesday talks with Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza. He led a similar delegation to Dar es Salaam last month to meet Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.

Uganda, South Sudan and Rwanda are next on the shuttle diplomacy schedule to woo regional leaders and the African Union (AU) to take a common stand on the fate of Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto, who have been charged with crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court.