Raila and Kalonzo put ink to paper in coalition pact

Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka on Tuesday signed a pre-election agreement with 11 other political parties. (Read: Raila, Kalonzo seal pre-election coalition)

The deal was sealed on a day of high drama as parties raced against time to beat the deadline to lodge coalition agreements with the Registrar of Political Parties.

In an agreement dubbed the Coalition for Reform and Democracy (Cord), Mr Musyoka and Mr Odinga did not announce who would be the presidential candidate or running mate.

However, independent sources indicated that Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula was to be the alliance’s majority leader in Parliament if the coalition forms the next government and garners a majority in the House.

In other developments, the signing of a pact between Deputy Prime Minister and UDF Party presidential aspirant Musalia Mudavadi and six other parties failed to take place as earlier announced by his secretariat.

A statement from Mr Mudavadi’s secretariat had indicated that he would sign the deal with the Kenya National Congress, Kanu, United Democratic Movement, Party of Action and New Vision Party at Uhuru Park’s Freedom Corner. Minutes to the 1.30 pm function, another press statement was released saying it had been called off.

Mr Mudavadi later joined the TNA-URP alliance in which he will fight for the presidential ticket with Mr Kenyatta. He had earlier said through his spokesman that he was determined to go all the way to the ballot. (Read: Uhuru, Ruto, Mudavadi in new coalition pact)

Elsewhere, Mr Peter Kenneth (KNC) and Mr Raphael Tuju of POA signed a pre-election agreement but they did not announce who was going to be the presidential candidate or the running mate.

Part of the Cord mix

Other parties in the Cord alliance include the National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) led by Water Minister Charity Ngilu, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara, and Kenya Social Congress (KSC) of legislator George Anyona, who died in 2003.

Mkenya Solidarity associated with former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga, Kalembe Ndile’s Tip, Chama Cha Uzalendo, Kaddu Asili, the United Democratic Movement (UDM), Agano and Muungano form part of the Cord mix.

The leaders of the parties appended their signatures to the agreement after Mr Odinga, Mr Musyoka and Mr Wetang’ula.

The agreement, which was crafted by a team of lawyers representing the coalition partners led by Lands Minister James Orengo (ODM), Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo (Wiper) and Mr Chrisanthus Wamalwa (Ford Kenya) has a clause providing for its amendment to accommodate the interests of other parties interested in joining the coalition.

But the formal announcement of the power sharing deal was withheld until Mr Odinga’s ODM and Mr Musyoka’s WDM hold their respective National Delegates Conferences (NDCs) to ratify the positions in accordance with the Political Parties Act, which requires that any coalition deal is supported by a resolution of the highest organs of the parties involved.

ODM is expected to hold its NDC on Friday followed by Wiper next Monday. Ford Kenya held its National Executive Council meeting on Monday and ratified the agreement.

The signing of the pre-poll alliances took a dramatic turn when New Ford Kenya presidential aspirant, who has been a key member of the URP-TNA alliance, entered into a coalition with four other parties. They did not announce a presidential candidate.

However, Mr Wamalwa said he was in the presidential race to the end, and was poised to battle it out for the new alliance’s ticket with Mr Cyrus Jirongo, who also announced he was in the race.

The alliance dubbed “Pambazuko”, meaning a new beginning, also has National Vision Party of former Cabinet minister Nicholas Biwott, Kadu Asili and Shirikisho party.

This brings the different alliances ahead of the March 4 elections to four. The agreement between Mr Musyoka and Mr Odinga was signed at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.

Speakers at the event were under instructions not to reveal details of the power-sharing deal, but Housing assistant minister Margaret Wanjiru alluded to it when she repeatedly referred to Mr Odinga as the “president-in-waiting”.

Mr Musyoka, who spoke last, said unlike past Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), which had been repeatedly abused, his deal with Mr Odinga and Mr Wetang’ula enjoyed the force of law and the backing of the parties involved.

“What we have done here has the force of law and the support of the parties. What remains is for us to agree on who will be the president, the deputy president and the leader of the majority party,” Mr Musyoka stated.

He promised to ensure that the cases facing the four Kenyans including The National Alliance (TNA) presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto at the International Criminal Court are transferred to Kenyan courts once his alliance with Mr Odinga forms the next government.

Mr Odinga on his part explained that the new coalition with Mr Musyoka and Mr Wetangula was a “marriage of the willing” unlike the 2008 post election deal which established the grand coalition government.

“In 2008, it was a forced marriage. In 2002 and today, it is a willing coalition,” he told the cheering crowd.

‘’We are signing this pact so that we can institute an agenda of inclusion as part and parcel of our national political and economic culture,’’ he added.

Ms Ngilu, who unexpectedly arrived at the function to wild applause from the crowd asked the coalition leaders to ensure that they address healthcare, free education up to university level, women empowerment and wealth creation to all Kenyans if they form the next government.

Mr Wetangula said he had been persuaded to join the coalition because he realized the need to join forces with leaders who understand the needs of Kenyans.

The deal was the culmination of month-long negotiations between ODM, Wiper and Ford Kenya under a technical team led by Public Service Minister Dalmas Otieno, Mwingi South MP David Musila and Ford Kenya secretary general Dr Eseli Simiyu.