Signs of cracks behind opposition Cord’s show of unity

Despite the show of unity by Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) co-principals last Friday, past utterances by the leaders betray a huge smokescreen.

The three leaders – ODM’s Raila Odinga, Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula of Ford-Kenya – attended a funeral together in what Mr Musyoka said was a “huge statement”.

At the funeral of former Kathiani MP Wavinya Ndeti’s husband in Machakos, the three leaders said they were united and will go to the 2017 polls as a unit.

The funeral coincided with a statement from the Cord management committee co-chairmen senators James Orengo (Siaya, ODM) and Johnson Muthama (Machakos, Wiper) that the coalition already had a presidential candidate.

The three leaders are seeking the coalition’s ticket, with each saying he is ready for the battle with Jubilee’s President Uhuru Kenyatta.

RAILA'S ENDORSEMENT

Mr Musyoka and Mr Wetang’ula have pressured Mr Odinga to endorse one of them, a proposal the ODM leader has said should be decided by the coalition’s supporters.

ODM said the coalition’s leader should be chosen based on party strength, which undoubtedly gives the Orange party the upper hand, while Mr Musyoka has said he had sacrificed a lot and deserves the ticket.

Mr Wetang’ula has argued that he is the untested man who should take on President Kenyatta as the others had tried and lost.

Talk of bringing in Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi for a “super alliance” has also divided the coalition, with Mr Musyoka insisting that admission of other members “must be based on an aspect of sacrifice”.

“I don’t think that what matters is everybody to come on board, even those people who were not eating tear gas when we were trying to reform the IEBC (Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission). There must also be an element of sacrifice,” Mr Musyoka told a local TV station on talk of backing a person other than the three leaders for president.

CO-PRINCIPALS NOT EQUAL

But the biggest bone of contention, it appears, is that the co-principals are not equal in their national political appeal.

Privately, some ODM lawmakers describe Ford-Kenya as the biggest beneficiary of the opposition’s coalition arrangement despite bringing in the least number of MPs, and in effect votes, to the table.

Mr Wetang’ula’s home MP is the ODM-elected John Waluke, albeit a rebel.

With 10 elected MPs, four elected senators and one governor, the party is arguably the smallest in the Cord opposition coalition, yet is recognised as equal to its bigger brothers ODM and Wiper.

Some of the ODM lawmakers have not taken kindly to Mr Wetang’ula verbal attacks on Mr Odinga and point out that whereas the former prime minister and Mr Musyoka did not get the pension they deserved, Mr Wetang’ula enjoys the trappings of being the Senate minority leader.

By virtue of his position in the Senate, Mr Wetang’ula is entitled to a large office in Parliament, a car, bodyguards and a chase car.

But the question remains: Is Cord really a unit? Is the coalition compact enough to stay together through the competitive August 2017 polls? Or will the bubble burst painfully?