Elders’ endorsement of Raila as flagbearer bad for Cord, says Makueni senator
Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr (centre) gestures during the start of a football match at Yikitise Primary School grounds on August 27, 2016. He faulted a recent declaration by Luo elders that ODM leader Raila Odinga must be the Opposition coalition’s Presidential candidate in the 2017 polls saying such a declaration could spoil Cord. PHOTO | PIUS MAUNDU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- They argued that Mr Odinga was the most popular of the three Cord co-principals, hence their choice.
- Senator Kilonzo said the declaration could spoil the Opposition coalition.
- The senator said none of the three Cord co-principals is supposed to be superior to the rest.
Wiper Democratic Movement Vice-Chairman and Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr has taken issue with the endorsement by Luo elders’ of Orange Democratic Movement party leader Raila Odinga as Cord’s presidential candidate, saying the declaration is bad for the Opposition’s arrangement.
At a meeting in Kisumu on Friday, the Luo Council of Elders declared that Mr Odinga’s position as Cord’s presidential candidate in 2017 was not negotiable and urged the coalition’s other principals, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula, to rally behind Mr Odinga.
They argued that Mr Odinga was the most popular of the three Cord co-principals, hence their choice.
“Our resolution is final. Raila must run for presidency in 2017,” said Mr Owino Nyady, the council’s secretary-general, to the chagrin of the Wiper leader.
UPSET WIPER TEAM
“That declaration and statements to the effect that Kalonzo should be an underdog in Cord is going to upset the Wiper team in Cord and unless [it is] addressed, this may spoil the Opposition coalition,” said Mr Kilonzo Jnr on Saturday.
The Makueni Senator spoke at Yikitise Primary School in Makueni Constituency on Saturday on the side-lines of youth football and volleyball matches sponsored by his office.
“As Kambas, we have our leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, who is also a Cord co-principal and none of the three co-principals is supposed to be superior to the rest,” he said.
He added: “Unless Cord reigns in its followers so that they appreciate that the reason for the various leaders in the coalition is to offer leadership at all levels, we are going to spoil the coalition.”
Senator Kilonzo Jnr, who was part of the joint select committee on electoral reforms, said that following the proposed amendments in electoral rules, cheating during elections will be a thing of the past.
“We have adopted, as a rule, an integrated electronic system that will be in charge of voter registration, voting and transmission and vote tallying will be done electronically. This will ensure that cheating and rigging is a thing of the past,” he said.
