Raila leads opposition leaders in flurry of meetings on 2017 polls

Work on a unified front against Jubilee has commenced, as Cord leader Raila Odinga on Wednesday paid his colleague Moses Wetang’ula a visit at his Nairobi home and Amani National Coalition leader Musalia Mudavadi met Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho.

The leaders are expected to kick off a series of joint rallies around the country to popularise the new initiative to rally the opposition against the ruling government in the forthcoming elections.

Mr Odinga drove to Mr Wetangula’s Karen home, where the two ate breakfast together, while Mr Mudavadi, seen as Mr Wetangula’s rival in the western region supremacy battles, was also hosted by the Mombasa governor, who is an ODM deputy leader.

Later Mr Odinga held talks with former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, while Mr Wetang’ula moved on to meet Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka and later Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno before holding joint talks with Mr Jirongo, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and former National Social Security Funds Managing Trustee Jos Konzolo at a Nairobi restaurant.

NO 'COMMUNITY SPOKERSMANSHIP'

“Yes, we had a meeting with Raila Odinga, who is my co-principal in Cord. I have also met Dalmas Otieno and now I am going to meet Kalonzo Muysoka,” Mr Wetang’ula said.

The meetings are aimed at generating an opposition political power to drive President Uhuru Kenyatta from State House, but not to discuss community spokesmanship, the senator said.

“We do not consider Mr Mudavadi a factor in our talks. We are looking for a person who, when he speaks, the community listens, not someone to be sent to speak for the community,” Mr Wetang’ula said, in apparent reference to the weekend anointing of Mr Mudavadi as spokesman for the Luhya community.

Mr Jirongo, who confirmed meeting Mr Odinga, said they were working on a united front that will bring all communities in Kenya together.

“I met Raila to discuss the future of this country. As you know, he is a factor that you cannot just wish away,” Mr Jirongo said.

SAVE KENYA FROM CORRUPTION

On Wednesday, Suna East MP Junet Mohamed said the strategic meetings between various opposition leaders will culminate in what he termed the “ultimate salvation” of Kenya from the jaws of corruption.

“These leaders are doing everything to ensure Kenya moves together in the same direction,” he said.

Last week, Mr Wetang’ula and Siaya Senator James Orengo were also hosted for breakfast at Mr Musyoka's home in Karen.

A tweet by Ford Kenya indicated that Mr Wetang’ula and Mr Odinga discussed a number of issues, including the 2017 elections.

Fears have been expressed that Mr Wetang’ula could be moving towards isolation following the re-emergence of Mr Mudavadi and his recent naming as the Luhya spokesman.

But Cotu Secretary-General Francis Atwoli, who led the event on Saturday in Kakamega, said the naming of Mr Mudavadi as Luhya spokesman was only meant to unify the region not to undermine any leader or party.

NATIONAL CAMPAIGN

“I don’t belong to any political party. I used to be a life member of Kanu but left when I became Cotu secretary-general. So I took leave to deal with that issue and now that I'm done am back to work — I don’t belong to any party,” Mr Atwoli said.

Amani National Coalition deputy party leader Ayub Savula, who is also the Lugari MP, confirmed that the opposition team was working on a campaign programme that will see them traverse the country jointly.

“We are soon unveiling a national campaign starting from western [Kenya] to all parts of the country.

"I can also confirm that talks are advancing very well on how to unite all key opposition figures in the country for an ultimate win,” he said.

Mr Orengo, his Machakos counterpart Johnson Muthama, Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyu and Mr Savula are said to be among the leaders working behind the scenes to drive the opposition unity.

Mr Odinga’s visit to Mr Wetang’ula's home is said to have been an initial move to urge him to support the team despite Mr Mudavadi’s return to the opposition fold.

The rivalry between the two has generated fears in the opposition that it could be exploited by the government side to divide western Kenyan votes, seen to be vital for a stronger opposition showing in the next elections.