Raila eyes other parties in bid to strengthen top seat campaign

Prime Minister Raila Odinga plans to strengthen his campaigns by negotiating with other candidates to stabilise his presidential run.

The decision emerged after a top level strategy meeting in Naivasha where the party’s key organs also recommended his nomination as ODM’s presidential candidate to the National Delegates Convention.

Mr Odinga’s campaign machinery has created a team of trusted ministers and highly placed MPs to scout for new allies in a move aimed at dismantling the opposition he is facing ahead of the 2013 General Election.

His opponents Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto met on Thursday afternoon to discuss how to unite against him.

Cabinet ministers James Orengo, Dalmas Otieno and Fred Gumo are part of a secret group of envoys that will lead talks with identified politicians and parties to discuss coalitions and possible alliances.

Though opinion polls have indicated his popularity against Mr Kenyatta has fallen and his campaign dull, Mr Odinga said he was on his way to an election victory.

“We are confident of winning the next General Election. ODM is the party of change,” the PM said.

Alliances and partnerships

Addressing journalists after the two-day strategy meeting on Friday, the party’s secretary-general, Prof Anyang Nyong’o said ODM’s organs had endorsed the strategy proposing alliances and partnerships with like minded individuals and parties.

Mr Orengo confirmed that Mr Odinga’s team is keen on building alliances so as to consolidate a first round win.

“It is true we are talking to people. We are engaging so many people. It is already in the open that we have engaged Ford Kenya and we are also talking to Narc,” said the Ugenya MP who is a top level member of the PM’s think-tank.

Local Government minister Paul Otuoma also said that the party had now mandated Mr Odinga to negotiate with anyone.

“We have asked him to negotiate alliances and we are going to build coalitions with anyone willing to work with us,” he stated.

Some party MPs are said to have also raised concerns over remarks by Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang regarding a past declaration that Kanu would support Mr Odinga.

“We have said that we want discipline in our party as we embark on campaigns and we are not going to tolerate careless statements by people who have no mandate to speak for us,” Mr Otuoma said.

Speaking at the event, ODM’s chairman Henry Kosgey reiterated that the meeting had resolved that Mr Odinga be recommended for nomination as the presidential candidate.

“We are taking his name to the NGC to be held between December 29 and 30 as our presidential candidate,” Mr Kosgey said.

The party also agreed to strengthen its campaigns at the grassroots by naming campaign team leaders and to revamp ODM Reloaded and all the other campaign teams.

New campaign strategy

“We have agreed to scale up our campaigns. We have not done much but as from next week you will see what we are able to do as the strategy is now ready for implementation,” said Mr Eliud Owallo who is leading the PM’s campaign secretariat.

The delegates also discussed nominations and called on the National Election’s Board to work diligently to avert post nomination disputes.

The retreat was attended by 61 MPs including some of ODM’s East African Legislative Assembly.

Minister Musa Sirma and assistant minister Margaret Wanjiru were listed as absent without apology.