Wetang'ula dismisses claims of cracks in Cord over flag bearer

Ford Kenya party leader and Cord co-principal Moses Wetang’ula has denied claims of disquiet within the coalition.

Mr Wetang’ula dismissed talk that there was trouble among the three Cord co-principals, saying that was political propaganda.

“We have no cracks in Cord. My brother, the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, is a presidential candidate, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka is a presidential candidate and l am also a presidential candidate. We shall support whoever will be named to be the flag bearer,” he told delegates at the Season Hotel in Narok Town.

The Bungoma senator reiterated that the coalition co-principals will remain united and that one of them will be the country’s fifth president next year.

Addressing more than 300 party members and aspirants from Narok, Mr Wetang’ula said there was nothing wrong with the current jostling in Cord, terming it part of the democratic space in the coalition.

He was in the county to strengthen his party and inaugurate a county committee team that will spearhead his agenda ahead of next year’s polls.

“Each party that is a member of the coalition is working to strengthen itself. We shall then come together and pick one flag bearer to face the opponent,” said Mr Wetang’ula.

He also noted there was no hurry for Cord to pick a candidate as they first wanted proper structures put in place.

“In 2002 we picked Mwai Kibaki as the presidential candidate to face President Daniel Moi, two months before the election," Mr Wetang’ula said.

He also urged his colleagues in the coalition to remain united so that they ascend to power.

He said as the position stands now, nobody was assured of the Cord ticket.

He also urged Mr Odinga to shelf his presidential ambitions and become a father-figure whose work would be to advise Cord luminaries, saying he had already done enough for the country.

Mr Wetang’ula said he has what it takes to win the presidency and urged his colleagues to back him.

“Raila should just be a ceremonial kingmaker, and assist Cord with fatherly advice for me to be the next president of this country," he said.