Kenya:RAILA, KALONZO and WETANGULA SIGNED COALITION PACT
By Maurice Alal, reporter Kisumu, Kenya

With today being the last day for political parties to deposit their pre-election pact to the Registrar of Political Parties, ODM, Wiper Democratic, FORD Kenya and other political Parties leaders have today signed coalition deal.

The coalition will see the Prime Minister Raila Odinga (PM), Vice President (VP) Kalonzo Musyoka and Minister for Trade ,Moses Wetangula working together in the forthcoming General Election.

Raila who is the Orange Democratic Movement Party leader will be the presidential aspirant with Musyoka of Wiper Democratic Party as his running mate. Wetangula of FORD Kenya party will benefit from some of the major slots as per the agreement signed at Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC).

This comes just a day after the Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta of the National Alliance Party (TNA) and United Republican Party (URP) William Ruto as his running mate signed their coalition pact yesterday.

The TNA/URP alliance has drowned different views from Kenyans as the duo are facing criminal charges at the International Criminal Court following the Post Election Violence witnessed in 2007/2008 that saw over 1,000 people killed and thousands displaced from their homes.

Most of the Kenyans are of opinion that Uhuru and Ruto ticket is of bad taste to Kenyans as this will isolate them from International relations as they are still ICC suspects while some saying that they should run for the seats respectively.

However, Odinga said the country needs the true reformers who can be entrusted with the implementation of the constitution, development oriented but not with tainted records of auctioning their communities to gain political mileage.

“Kenyans want President and the VP who will be free and fair in running the government effectively so as to address the problems they are facing,” he said.

The premier pondered for how long Kenyans will be hold hostage by some leaders who are not ready for reforms and ideologies which can transform the lives of Kenyans.

“ODM, Wiper, FORD Kenya and other parties will win the election, saying people need a government that will speak in one voice but not a torn one like the coalition government that have not addressed the expectations of the citizens,” said Odinga.

On his part, Wetangula of FORD Kenya said the alliance signed today will unite all Kenyans to ensure there is no a repeat of the violence witnessed in the last general election.

Charity Ngilu of NARC who has been of lately associated with TNA/URP coalition attended the signing ceremony saying the time to change leadership of Kenya was now urging Kenyans to elect leaders who will address their problems.

Ngilu was a member of ODM Pentagon team that saw Raila as the presidential candidate in the disputed election of 2007 stand still remains unknown with speculation that she has no option but to work with the PM and Kalonzo who hails from the same region with her.

Others expected to signed per-election pact today are Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi of UDF party and Peter Kenneth (Congress Party) and Raphael Tuju (Party of Action) who are dubbed as the new faces and third horse to state house.

Martha Karua of NARC Kenya and Prof. James Ole Kiyapi of Restore and Build Party has vowed to go it alone come March 4, 2013 expressing that they will emerged the winners.

The PM and VP promised to address the problems facing Kenyans especially land, poverty, marginalization, implementation of constitution and ensure equitable distribution of resources at the County level for smooth transition of devolution system.

Kalonzo said their union will ensure a first round win terming it as the new face of Kenya comprised of leaders with no vested interest but those with Kenyans at heart. According to Election Act, one needs to get 51% of the total casted votes and also 25 Counties out of the 47.

However, the VP said Kenya is bigger than an individual saying those grouping themselves basing on their ethnicity should prepare for a defeat and publicize their policies to Kenyans rather than tribal politics.

The duo told voters to shun leaders forming coalitions based on ethnicity saying the alliances should be formed to unite all Kenyans but not individuals.

“These leaders are auctioning their communities to gain political mileage in forming ethnic alliances. We want peoples’ president that can unite all Kenyans but not individuals whose agenda is to block Raila to win the presidency,” they said.

While drumming up support to PM and the VP, ODM chairman, Henry Kosgey revealed that Raila was the right person to unite all tribes in the country and addressed their plights amicably.

“We follow Raila because of his development performance, reforms and also non-tribal presidential candidate in the country. He is the only candidate who will implement the constitution to the letter,” Kosgey said.

The ODM chairman further recalled how Raila and other reformist fought for the repealing of the section 2(A) in 1992 under President Daniel Moi’s regime that brought democratic space that Kenyans are now enjoying.

However, WIPER party chairman David Musila wondered where most of the presidential candidates were when Raila was fighting President Moi to ensure multiparty that are now in the country.

He said Raila/Kalonzo pact will win the forthcoming election saying the difference of the PM and other candidates were light and darkness, meaning reformer and non-reformers.

“Why don’t you be peoples’ president like the Premier and VP instead of being your own, which majority of the presidential candidates is banking to,” he said.

The minister further moved to assure Kenyans that ODM party is not threatened by the ongoing coalition talks with majority auctioning their community to achieve to their vested interest instead of considering problems affecting Kenyans.
END