Mudavadi tells Raila to retire from politics

United Democratic Forum presidential hopeful Musalia Mudavadi yesterday intensified his campaigns in Kisii county where he reiterated that PM Raila Odinga should retire from politics with President Kibaki. He said the PM should retire to usher in new leadership to achieve Vision 2030. “The tenure for the Coalition government is coming to an end and President Kibaki is retiring from politics. It will be wise for Raila to retire with his co-principal,” Mudavadi told a rally at Tabaka in South Mugrango constituency.

He said Raila should now support him because he supported his 2007 presidential bid.“I supported him (Raila) during the 2007 elections and he should also support me,” he added. Mudavadi called for  a free and fair general poll to avert a repeat of the 2007/08 post- election violence after the announcement of the disputed presidential result. “We saw what happened in the 2007 because of a disputed election. We should accept the outcome of the election whether you lose or not,” he said.

Mudavadi said he wants to offer an alternative leadership that will promote ethnic harmony during and after election so that Kenyans can do their businesses in any part of the country freely. “Abagusii are an enterprising community and they are found in every county in Kenya. They must be assured of peace to do business wherever they live. That is the leadership I want to promise the Abagusii today,” he said at Etago.

He was accompanied by assistant minister Manyala Keya and MPs George Nyamweya (nominated), Yusuf Chanzu (Vihiga), Justus Kizito ( Shinyalu) and Jeremiah Kioni (Ndaragwa). Mudavadi appealed to fellow presidential hopefuls to carry out issue based campaigns and shun hate speech. “Some have made me a subject in their rallies, but they should tell Kenyans what they will do if at all they are elected. I left ODM because it was untenable for me to stay,’ he added.

Meanwhile, DPM Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto are in working on a formula to ensure that Raila does not win the poll. Dujis MP Aden Duale said the TNA and URP have joined a combined force to defeat the premier. He said the ODM has lost its popularity because of most its supporters have abandoned the party. “Ruto had 40 per cent shares in ODM, Mudavadi 40 per cent shares and the North Eastern and Coast regions 25 per cent and the remaining we left it to its owner the Prime Minister,” said Duale.

Duale said they quit ODM because of dictatorship.  “The party is now under receivership because majority of the shareholders have moved out of it,” he added. Ruto said  Raila has no agenda for Kenyans because he has served in the government for long and failed to champion development. “You cannot build a country like Kenya with stories and empty promises,”  he said.

He said that they moved to URP because ODM failed the democratic test. “We have found a new home URP that caters for every Kenyans’ interests," he said. The URP presidential hopeful said the country needs a leader, who will address  poverty, hunger and unemployment especially among the youth. He was after addressing series of rallies in Narok town, Ololulunga trading centre and Sogoo. Ruto was accompanied MPs Kambi Kazungu, Sammy Mwaita, Moyale Mohamud and Ekwe Ethuro.

Others were Prime Minister’s brother Omondi Odinga, former Speaker Francis ole Kaparo, former Tourism minister Stephen ole Ntutu, Narok governor aspirant Samuel ole Tunai and Leah Ntimama among others. Elsewhere, Narc-Kenya presidential aspirant and Gichugu MP Martha Karua has said that food security is a fundamental right for all Kenyans and should not be used as a bargaining chip for political leverage. She said food insecurity has affected school enrollment in most parts of the country, adding that access to food, water and health is a constitutional right. Karua was  speaking in Yatta constituency in Machakos county where she was campaigning. She addressed rallies at Mamba, Matuu, Kyasiani and Kithimani areas.