Kosgey meets Ruto after coalition rally

Orange Democratic Movement chairman Henry Kosgey was last evening at the United Republican Party offices, sparking speculation that he was about to part ways with Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Mr Kosgey had earlier witnessed his party enter into an agreement with the Wiper Democratic Movement at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi. (Read: Raila and Kalonzo put ink to paper in coalition pact)

The Industrialisation minister, however, was non-committal on why he had gone to Eldoret North MP William Ruto’s party offices, saying that the media read too much in meetings between politicians.

“You people read too much in meetings between us. Meeting Ruto is not a problem; even my party leader Raila Odinga has met him many times. I am still in ODM,” he said at Parliament Buildings.

At the URP offices on Muchai Drive off Ngong Road were TNA-URP presidential aspirant Uhuru Kenyatta, Mr Ruto, Cabinet minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere and MPs Najib Balala and Charles Keter.

Mr Kosgey said he was still in ODM and will fight it out with Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka to become Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s running mate.

He argued that he had invested a lot of political energy in ODM campaigns and would not allow the VP to get the slot on a silver platter.

“We have cultivate this piece of land (ODM) to get rid of weeds. I am not going to allow the VP to benefit from our sweat. I am still in the race to become the PM’s running mate,” he said.

ODM holds a National Delegates Conference on Friday to nominate its presidential candidate and running mate.

Addressing journalists after the meeting that lasted about two hours, Mr Mwakwere said signing the agreement on Monday did not lock out other like-minded politicians, or political parties, from joining the coalition.