Kalonzo, Raila to sign pact Tuesday
Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has said his Wiper Democratic Movement party (WDM) will on Tuesday sign a pre-election pact with Prime Minister Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and New Ford-K ahead of the forthcoming General Election.
Mr. Musyoka said the agreement will involve a team of leaders who are serious in the fight against tribalism and negative ethnicity.
He said the Wiper party technocrats were working with their ODM and New Ford-Kenya counterparts to finalize on the agreement before it is signed on Tuesday.
"After we sign the agreement tomorrow, Kenyans will then know who true reformers are in this country,’’ said Mr Musyoka on Monday.
However, New Ford Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa immediately denied the claim of being party to the Kalonzo - Raila deal.
Speaking at Tseikuru trading centre after registering as a voter, the Vice President warned that tribalism was taking centre stage in the country ahead of the coming elections.
"Tribalism is becoming stronger now than during the 2007 general election,’’ said Mr Musyoka.
He urged Kenyans to reject leaders who are agents of tribalism and elect those who can unite all Kenyan communities irrespective of tribal and political affiliations.
Mr. Musyoka, who was accompanied by Kibwezi MP Prof. Philip Kaloki, IEBC Vice chair person Lilian Mahiri Zaja and IEBC IT Director Dismas Ongodi, wondered what happens to the smaller communities in this country if it is a must that the presidency must always hail from the larger tribes.
"It is time champions against tribalism come out against tribal groupings in this country if we are to remain united as people of one nation,’’ he said.
The Vice President once again appealed to Kenyans to vote for leaders irrespective of ethnic and political backgrounds come the next general election.
He expressed concern at the manner in which residents in many parts of the country were turning up in small numbers to register barely two weeks before the deadline of the exercise.
Mr. Musyoka made a passionate appeal to all Kenyans to make use of the ongoing biometric voter registration to register in large numbers so as to participate in the forthcoming general election.
He said the biometric voter registration exercise will ensure names of ghost voters do not appear in the register.
The Vice President at the same time directed the department of Registration of Persons to move with speed and ensure Kenyans over the age of 18 and who have applied for IDs are given within the shortest time possible so that they can participate in voter listing exercise.
"It has become clear that thousands of Kenyans are yet to get IDs especially now that the country is preparing for elections,’’ he said.
Mr. Ong’ondi and Ms Zaja urged Kenyans to make use of the remaining days to register noting that IEBC will not extend the registration period after December 18.
