Elders put across demands to Raila ahead of 2017 elections

Cord leader Raila Odinga with some Luhya elders at Kakamega governor's office on May 18, 2016. PHOTO | ISAAC WALE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • In a five-page petition to Mr Odinga, the elders demanded that the coalition nominates its flagbearer before next year so that there is enough time to market the candidate.
  • According to an elder who attended the meeting and spoke on condition of anonymity, the meeting was meant to iron out perceived cracks within the coalition.
  • The elders told Mr Odinga that the coalition must come up with nomination criteria to ensure there is no fallout before elections.

Details have emerged of a secret meeting between Coalition for Reforms and Democracy co-principal Raila Odinga and Luhya elders held on Wednesday.

The Sunday Nation has learnt that the elders demanded that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Wiper and ODM parties be thrown out as it threatens the existence of the coalition.

In a five-page petition to Mr Odinga, the elders demanded that the coalition nominates its flagbearer before next year so that there is enough time to market the candidate.

Further, they want the coalition to have an independent chair, saying the three co-chairpersons seem to be pushing the agenda of their sponsoring parties.

Luhya elders also raised concern over internal competition for supporters among the three Cord leaders.

“We ask the coalition to roll out a massive recruitment drive to increase its support rather than individual party membership.”

Mr Odinga held a private meeting with the elders led by the elders’ forum’s vice-chairman Burudi Nabwera and secretary Peter Ludava in Kakamega.

He later met Sabaot elders and Kakamega County ODM officials.

The elders told Mr Odinga that the coalition must come up with nomination criteria to ensure there is no fallout before elections.

“There are many unpopular candidates aligning themselves to the party bigwigs with the hope of securing party tickets. Cord has to find a way of dealing with this matter,” the elders said.

According to an elder who attended the meeting and spoke on condition of anonymity, the meeting was meant to iron out perceived cracks within the coalition.

He explained that they represented the interests of Luhya people in the meeting and not individual political leaders.

The meeting resolved that the elders will hold another meeting with Mr Odinga and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula to iron out other issues.

The meeting also recommended that a permanent team should be set up to deal with issuance of national identity and voters’ cards.