I will run for president, says Kalonzo

Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka arrives in Garsen, Tana River County, on September 28, 2016 for a rally. He said he stands a better chance of defeating President Kenyatta. PHOTO | DENNIS KAVISU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Musyoka was addressing a public rally in Tana River County and said he stood the best chance of beating President Kenyatta if allowed to carry the Cord flag.
  • As Mr Musyoka rallied his supporters in Tana River, Mr Odinga was in Kilgoris, Narok County, seeking the support of the Maasai.

Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka on Thursday laid claim to the Cord presidential ticket and told his allies, Raila Odinga and Moses Wetang’ula, to let him face President Uhuru Kenyatta at next year’s elections.

Mr Musyoka was addressing a public rally in Tana River County and said he stood the best chance of beating President Kenyatta if allowed to carry the Cord flag.

His pronouncement was the latest in a series of campaign rallies by Mr Musyoka, Mr Odinga and Mr Wetang’ula, his Cord partners.

As Mr Musyoka rallied his supporters in Tana River, Mr Odinga was in Kilgoris, Narok County, seeking the support of the Maasai.

Mr Odinga’s supporters have also planned a rally in Kisumu this weekend to be addressed by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, who backs the ODM chief for the Cord presidential ticket.

Mr Musyoka urged Mr Odinga to sacrifice his ambitions the way others had done for him in previous elections.

“I have sacrificed a lot all the time and others should also sacrifice now. Things will change under my leadership," he said.

He told Mr Odinga to give way for other candidates, having failed to clinch the presidency three times.

Mr Musyoka said the Wiper Democratic Party would this weekend hold rallies in Mombasa to seek support for the Cord ticket.

And speaking in Mombasa on Thursday, Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar piled pressure on Cord to name its presidential candidate at least 10 months to the polls, scheduled for next August to allow for adequate campaign time.

He said the party would officially give the coalition an ultimatum during the Sunday rally to be addressed by Mr Musyoka at the historic Tononoka Grounds.

Speaking to journalists after opening a human rights retreat at Serena Beach Resort, Mr Omar said time was running out for the Opposition to name its flag bearer.

The retreat was called to discuss a human rights Bill that Mr Omar has introduced in the Senate.

“The failure to name our presidential candidate continues to create confusion in the country, where politics has seriously been tribalised,” he said.

BETTER MAN
He said Wiper would not accept to hold joint nominations with ODM and Ford Kenya since it would amount to killing some of the coalition parties.

“Allowing joint nominations means the same as dissolving some parties and we do not agree with that. Each party should hold its own independent nominations and let the candidates meet at the ballot. There should be no marriage of convenience,” he said.

Mr Omar said Mr Musyoka was “the best suited candidate” to carry the Cord flag, because “he has sure parameters of ideology” which would help him fight off the Jubilee challenge.

“We in Wiper believe that Mr Musyoka presents the best alternative for the Cord team. He is the one that we are sure can beat the Jubilee candidate because he has a clear agenda,” he said.

He warned that Jubilee’s popularity was on the rise in Coast.

“We started in Tana River on Wednesday and we are in Mombasa this weekend, with a huge rally at Tononoka, where we will place our demand for the Cord presidential candidate. From Mombasa, we will move to Kisii,” he said.

The party had made a formal request to the coalition to postpone its National Executive Council meetings on Monday to allow Wiper to complete its activities, he said.

PROTESTS
In Kilgoris, Mr Odinga, who addressed supporters at St Joseph’s Pastoral Centre, urged residents to vote for ODM candidates in a six-piece fashion.

He said Narok was an ODM zone, pointing out that this was evident during the burial of former minister William Ole Ntimama two weeks ago.

“President Kenyatta got furious and started lecturing everybody including church leaders because the Narok people showed him they are in ODM,” he said, adding: “The Maa and the coast have suffered most due to land injustices, economic marginalisation, poor health services and lack of infrastructure.”

ODM chairman John Mbadi said the party would not hesitate to resume street demonstrations if the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chiefs will not have left office by the end of this month.

Suna East MP Junet Mohammed accused the Jubilee leadership of benefiting from the Maasai Mara game reserve illegally.

Reported by Nehemiah Okwembah, Daniel Nyassy, Ruth Mbula and Aggrey Omboki