Mudavadi in secret talks with Balala and Kenneth

Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi on Monday held talks with former Cabinet minister Najib Balala, Planning assistant minister Peter Kenneth and former Trade Minister Mukhisa Kituyi as he intensified consultations to decide his political future. Read (Mudavadi in crisis talks with MPs)

The four leaders declined to speak to the Nation about the nature of the talks at Serena Hotel, but sources close to them revealed that it centred on Mr Mudavadi’s options should he choose to ditch the Orange Democratic Movement.

The meeting, the sources revealed, was arranged by Dr Kituyi who has emerged as one of Mr Mudavadi’s key linkmen in consultations to chart his political future.

Dr Kituyi was the first to arrive at the hotel for the meeting at 4.30pm followed a few minutes later by Mr Balala and Mr Kenneth.

Mr Mudavadi was at the hotel to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the government, the Nairobi City Council and Aga Khan Trust for Culture to collaborate in the rehabilitation and restoration of City Park. But just before the function started, he asked to be excused so that he could meet “a mutual friend”.

“Let me meet a mutual friend briefly before I join you,” he was overheard telling officials of the Aga Khan Trust. He then joined Dr Kituyi and the other leaders who were seated at a secluded section within the hotel.

After about 20 minutes, Mr Mudavadi went back to the official function, leaving Mr Balala, Mr Kenneth and Dr Kituyi chatting.

Like Mr Mudavadi, Mr Balala was a member of the ODM Pentagon that spearheaded Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s presidential campaign in 2007. He has since fallen out with the PM.

Mr Balala was sacked from the Cabinet during the recent reshuffle and has been at the forefront in urging Mr Mudavadi to ditch the Orange party following a dispute over election rules.

Mr Kenneth has been traversing the country marketing his presidential bid.

However, he has come under pressure to drop his ambitions and support deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta. Mr Kenneth is closely associated with the Kenya National Congress whose candidates he has supported in the Juja and Kitutu Masaba by-elections.

The Serena talks come on the eve of a major breakfast meeting between Mr Mudavadi and MPs from Western province at the Landmark Hotel this morning to deliberate on his political future.

Ditching ODM

Even though he has not officially declared that he is ditching ODM, Mr Mudavadi is said to be hosting Tuesday's meeting to strike consensus with his colleagues on his political future.

The meeting will lay the ground for another meeting with all the leaders and professionals from Western province in Kakamega on Friday.

Shinyalu MP Kizito Mugali confirmed that the deputy PM had invited the MPs for Tuesday's meeting.

“It is a private meeting. We want to discuss matters affecting the community and the prevailing political situation. Mudavadi is consulting widely before he makes any decisions,” Mr Mugali said.

Addressing Kitutu Chache delegates in Kisii county on Monday, Public Works minister Chris Obure and Mr Odinga’s chief campaigner, Mr James Ongwae, pleaded with Mr Mudavadi not to ditch ODM, saying such a move would dent the party.

“Mr Mudavadi is a key pillar in the party and a principled leader who should not quit the party when it needs him most,” Mr Obure said.

He also faulted the media for what he termed as magnifying Mr Mudavadi’s potential exit and creating unnecessary anxiety among ODM supporters.

Mr Ongwae asked Mr Mudavadi to give the registrar of political parties time to gazette proposed amendments to the party’s constitution to accommodate his wishes.

“The party cannot take shortcuts in amending its constitution as it will attract legal challenges that may lead it to being de-registered,” said Mr Ongwae.

Mr Obure said that ODM needed Mr Mudavadi, who he described as a visionary leader.

Additional reporting by Jackline Moraa, John Shilitsa and Sylvester Ogata