Cord meets to pick 2017 flag bearer
What you need to know:
- Although the issue of how or when to pick the coalition’s flag bearer was not listed as part of the agenda for the two-day meeting that started yesterday, most of the participants said they would want it discussed.
- Giving the reason for the meeting, the senator said they were at the Great Rift Valley Lodge and Resort, Naivasha, for a midterm review and evaluation of their Senate, Parliament and County Assembly performance since the last election as well as prepare for the remaining period.
Talks on who will be Cord’s flag bearer in the 2017 presidential elections are expected to take a centre stage as the coalition partners begin their midterm review meeting in Naivasha on Monday.
Although the issue of how or when to pick the coalition’s flag bearer was not listed as part of the agenda for the two-day meeting that started yesterday, most of the participants said they would want it discussed.
They said the issue of the presidential candidate could not be wished away since it was causing jitters among some of the coalition members.
Speaking on the sidelines, Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa said members would be rooting for an open and transparent process in picking the coalition’s torch bearer.
“We want a process that will see all the principals compete for the coalition’s ticket in a democratic manner,” he said.
Dr Wamalwa said he would bring up the issue as an AOB (any other business) during the retreat. He also swore to include the issue of moving the General Election to December which was not in the programme.
However, Cord co-principal Moses Wetang’ula down played the debate on picking a presidential candidate, saying that the coalition was already working on the modalities.
“Each constituent party has already picked its candidate, Ford Kenya has picked me, Wiper Democratic Party has agreed on Kalonzo Musyoka and ODM has former Prime Minister Raila Odinga,” said Mr Wetang’ula.
He said the coalition had internal democracy which they would use to decide whether a candidate would be picked through a consensus or the ballot.
Giving the reason for the meeting, the senator said they were at the Great Rift Valley Lodge and Resort, Naivasha, for a midterm review and evaluation of their Senate, Parliament and County Assembly performance since the last election as well as prepare for the remaining period.
“We are also here to review the relationship between the coalition parties and see if there are areas that we need to improve,” he added.
Narc Kenya’s Martha Karua is in the programme and she will be giving a talk on “Running an effective opposition in Parliament.”
