I was forced to sign deal, says Uhuru

Presidential contender Musalia Mudavadi on Tuesday revealed that he signed a secret agreement with Uhuru Kenyatta according to which the latter was to step down for him.

Mr Kenyatta of The Alliance Party conceded that there was such an agreement and that he presented it to his party’s delegates for approval. It was rejected.

Mr Mudavadi revealed the details of the agreement and the dramatic events that led to its signing moments after Mr Kenyatta spoke to the delegates at Multimedia University on Magadi Road. (Read: Mudavadi says Uhuru signed deal to support him)

Mr Kenyatta’s TNA and Eldoret North MP William Ruto’s United Republican Party have agreed to stage a rally on Saturday at Tononoka Grounds in Mombasa to name their preferred presidential candidate, which in the Mudavadi camps is being seen an indication of their determination to dump him.

Mr Kenyatta and Mr Mudavadi were scheduled to have a crisis meeting Tuesday evening to try and salvage the alliance, but the breach of trust between the two leaders may have done irreparable damage to the group.

Mr Mudavadi recounted the events surrounding the signing of the two agreements at the backyard of their homes witnessed by two unnamed lawyers, Mr Ruto and family members on the last day of filing coalition deals with the Registrar of Political Parties.

He said Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto drove to his Riverside Drive home and convinced him to team up with them in their coalition whose agreement had already been signed. This triggered a series of activities which culminated in the signing of a deal on that day.

“That evening, before our party submitted the addendum to the URP/TNA coalition agreement to the Registrar of Political Parties, Uhuru and I signed a second agreement at his residence witnessed by the Ruto and our two lawyers, by which he withdrew his candidature for President in my favour,” Mr Mudavadi revealed.

General agreement

The commitment contained in two separate documents — one signed at Mr Mudavadi’s home and another at Mr Kenyatta’s State House Road home — were, however, not submitted to the Registrar of Political Parties.

The only document deposited at the registrar’s was the general agreement bringing together TNA, URP and UDF together with other parties.

Mr Mudavadi said the contents of the two agreements were concealed to give Mr Kenyatta time to explain his withdrawal to his supporters.

“Given the magnitude of this decision, we acceded to Uhuru’s request that we give him time to explain the background and the contents of our agreement to members of his party and make it public.”

The Sabatia MP said he was surprised that despite the existence of a signed document, Mr Kenyatta’s supporters have been going round demanding collegiate nomination.

He said he would continue pursuing an agreement with the Jubilee coalition, but told journalists that his pursuit for the presidency was still on course.

Mandera Central MP Abdikadir Mohamed, who has been in charge of legal matters involving UDF, said Mr Mudavadi was previously restrained from going public on the deal to avoid shocking Mr Kenyatta’s supporters.

“The two gentlemen signed an agreement, but we felt it would have shocked Mr Kenyatta’s supporters, so we decided to have them cooled down first and prepared for it,” he said.

He regretted Mr Kenyatta’s supporters were disowning the deal, but said he hoped that the two leaders were capable of salvaging the agreement.

But Mr Kenyatta on Tuesday claimed that he was forced to sign the agreement with Mr Mudavadi after being blackmailed by “dark forces” whose identities he did not reveal.

“Yes, I signed the agreement after being compelled to do so by dark forces who claimed that a Kikuyu can’t be elected and that foreigners will suspend aid to Kenya,” he said.

Sacrificed a lot

Mr Kenyatta further revealed the same agents asked him to prevail upon Mr Ruto to step aside, but he objected, saying the Eldoret North MP had already sacrificed a lot.

The DPM, who was addressing TNA delegates, said he would henceforth only take direction from them and from no one else. Igembe Central MP Mithika Linturi said Mr Mudavadi was asking too much from Mr Kenyatta. (Read: Nothing on silver platter, MPs tell Mudavadi)

“How can he demand from Mr Kenyatta what he does not have? We will not support him and our supporters are not party to a deal signed by two individuals,” Mr Linturi said.

Earlier in the day, URP spokesman Aden Duale and Mvita MP Najib Balala (Republican Congress Party) said the Jubilee Coalition will hold its rally at Tononoka Grounds on Saturday in Mombasa to announce its line-up for the March 4 elections.
The rally, which will also denounce any boardroom deals, is timed to coincide with that of the Coalition of Reform and Democracy (Cord) of Prime Minister Raila Odinga (ODM) and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka (WDM) at Uhuru Park, Nairobi.

“On Saturday, we are going to make a very big announcement at Tononoka in Mombasa. We will announce our line-up, from the presidential candidate, the running mate to the majority leader,” he said by phone from Isiolo where URP was holding a rally.

Mr Balala said: “We are no longer filling positions in boardrooms. We want to allow people to choose their leaders according to performance.”

But on Tuesday evening, there were efforts by the TNA to postpone the rally until the emerging issues are resolved.

But MPs allied to the party threw their weight behind the delegates method for picking the alliance’s presidential flag bearer.

The decision was announced by Garsen MP Danson Mungatana after more than five hours of debate by 25 lawmakers.

By Isaac Ongiri, Bernard Namunane, John Njagi and Patrick Nzioka