Uhuru and Ruto unveil political alliance as Raila takes ODM campaigns to Coast

What you need to know:

  • Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto promised to ensure that no more blood is shed in the region which has witnessed ethnic violence in every election since the advent of multi-party politics in the 1990s
  • Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto said they had chosen Nakuru since the town is the heart of the country where all communities are to be found
  • The meeting was attended by more than 60 lawmakers, including seven Cabinet ministers. The ministers included Katoo ole Metito (Internal Security), Samuel Poghisio (Information), Prof Sam Ongeri (Foreign Affairs), Amos Kimunya (Transport), Chirau Mwakwere (Trade) and Naomi Shaban (Gender)

The National Alliance and the United Republican Party on Sunday became the first parties to publicly unveil their political union as politicians raced against time to seal pre-election agreements ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.

Thousands braved light showers to witness the union between Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s TNA and Eldoret North MP William Ruto’s URP at Afraha Stadium in Nakuru.

Mr Kenyatta will vie for president under the joint ticket, with Mr Ruto as his running mate.

Both are due to face trial at the International Criminal Court at The Hague over the post-election violence.

Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto promised to ensure that no more blood is shed in the region which has witnessed ethnic violence in every election since the advent of multi-party politics in the 1990s.

The 2007/08 post-election violence led to the deaths of more than 1,300 people while leaving another 500,000 displaced. Currently some of the people displaced in the violence are still living in transitional camps.

“We want to promise you that our unity with Ruto...we shall preach peace and ensure that no other time shall Kenyans shed blood,” Mr Kenyatta told the gathering at the Afraha Stadium.

As Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto were holding their rally in Nakuru, their main foe, Prime Minister Raila Odinga of ODM, was holding his own rally at the Tononoka grounds in Mombasa.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi said that his party, UDF, will announce a pre-election alliance with other parties by Tuesday morning to beat the deadline for depositing such pacts with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

He fell short of revealing the composition of the alliance, but ruled out a partnership with Mr Musyoka’s Wiper party.

He said his party favoured a more national outlook, and not a two-party coalition as suggested by Wiper.

“Mr Musyoka is entitled to his opinion, but as UDF we prefer a different approach which is a more national outlook,” Mr Mudavadi said.

However, Kenya National Congress presidential hopeful Peter Kenneth, who was at the same event, alluded to the line-up of the new alliance, saying he had been in talks with Party of Action’s Raphael Tuju and Mr Mudavadi.

Good for the country

“I have been talking with Mr Tuju and now you have seen me with Mr Mudavadi. We are looking to form an alliance which is good for the country,” he said.

The two were speaking at Ruthigiti PCEA in Kiambu County, where Mr Mudavadi welcomed the candidature of church moderator Rev David Gathii, who is retiring to run for the Governor of Kiambu County on a UDF ticket.

NATIONAL AGENDA
  • ISSUE 1 - Job Creation
  • ISSUE 2 -Food Security
  • ISSUE 3 - Healthcare
  • ISSUE 4 - Education
  • ISSUE 5 - Energy
  • ISSUE 6 - Water & Environment
  • ISSUE 7 - Social Protection
  • ISSUE 8 - Public Infrastructure
  • ISSUE 9 - National Security & Foreign Policy
  • ISSUE 10 - Boosting Exports
  • ISSUE 11 - Devolution
  • ISSUE 12 - Ethnicity

In Nakuru, Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto said they had chosen the venue since the town is the heart of the country where all communities are to be found.

Mr Ruto said members of the Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities who are the main protagonists in the ethnic clashes witnessed in the Rift Valley would vote as a bloc.

The meeting was attended by more than 60 lawmakers, including seven Cabinet ministers. The ministers included Katoo ole Metito (Internal Security), Samuel Poghisio (Information), Prof Sam Ongeri (Foreign Affairs), Amos Kimunya (Transport), Chirau Mwakwere (Trade) and Naomi Shaban (Gender).

Absent at the meeting were Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa, who had earlier been widely touted as Mr Kenyatta’s preferred running mate, and Water minister Charity Ngilu, who recently defected from ODM.

TNA and URP have agreed to share government positions equally in a deal that is expected to be presented to the Registrar of Political Parties on Tuesday.

The agreement will also see the two parties sharing out elective seats in cosmopolitan areas such as Nakuru County. In Nakuru, for example, TNA would field a candidate for governor while URP would go for the senate seat.

At a separate event in Kakamega, Mr Wamalwa of New Ford Kenya said four presidential hopefuls from Western Province will seal their “Western Alliance” deal this week and agree on a single presidential candidate form the region.

The Justice minister said negotiations were at an advanced stage for the signing of the pact bringing together Mr Mudavadi, Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula, Federal Party of Kenya leader Cyrus Jirongo and himself.

Climb the mountain

Mr Wamalwa ruled out the possibility of an alliance with either Mr Kenyatta or Mr Odinga, arguing that the focus was on nothing less but the presidency.

Tumeamua kwamba hatutapanda Mlima na pia hatutashuka Ziwani (We have decided not to climb the mountain or walk down the lake),” Mr Wamalwa said in reference to Mr Kenyatta and MR Odinga.

Kanu chairman Gideon Moi also announced that the independence party will tomorrow reveal the political parties  that it will enter into coalition with.

However, Mr Moi reiterated that Kanu will field candidates in all positions apart from the presidency.