Raila, Wamalwa hold coalition talks

New Ford Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa on Thursday met his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) counterpart Raila Odinga to discuss coalition politics.

The meeting at the Serena Hotel, Nairobi saw Mr Wamalwa hold talks for two hours with Mr Odinga and members of the Coalition for Reform and Democracy (Cord).

Mr Wamalwa, who is also the Justice minister, later emerged from the meeting to tell waiting journalists: “We were just having a cup of tea with the PM and the Cord team and consulting generally".

“We are still consulting to see how we can form the next government. After the December 4 deadline, coalitions can now talk to each other,” he said.

“It is not the end of the game, it is the beginning. Consultations will continue. There will be alignments and realignments because coalitions can still talk to each other, and they can even merge.”

The new development is a departure from his previous position of steering clear of the TNA/URP/UDF alliance or the Cord.

Speaking in Embu, he told a gathering he chose to avoid the two alliances to pursue his late brother’s dream of becoming president.

On Tuesday, Mr Wamalwa’s New Ford Kenya joined the Pambazuka alliance together with Kanu, New Vision Party, Kaddu Asili and Shirikisho.

It was not clear what the two discussed but Mr Wamalwa later left to meet Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, a signatory of Cord.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga did not speak to journalists but Lands minister James Orengo said the teams held “productive talks".

Mr Orengo added that they were seeking to expand the Cord, but refused to divulge further details.

Despite the meeting, Mr Wamalwa insisted he would also meet with representatives from the URP/TNA/UDF alliance.

The Nation team saw UDF-allied MPs Nderitu Mureithi and Abdikadir Mohammed enter the venue of the meeting

They left thirty minutes later but it was not immediately clear whether they were part of the talks.