ODM chief Raila Odinga flies out for a 10-day trip abroad, essentially suspending his vigorous campaigns, even as President Uhuru Kenyatta prepares to rev up the Jubilee political machine.
The Star has established the former prime minister departs on Friday for a series of meetings.
Raila’s first stop will be Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the African Union meeting.
The 35th ordinary session of the assembly of the African Union heads of states and government is set for this weekend.
Raila, who is the AU special envoy on infrastructure, will then fly to India for an undisclosed purpose.
The ODM leader is a known associate of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While it was not immediately clear whether the Indian tour is connected to his role as the AU envoy, sources intimated that he will hold a series of meetings with business leaders in both Ethiopia and India.
“Baba (Raila) is travelling out of the country for some time. He will be away for 10 days but we don’t exactly know the people he will be meeting,” a source close to Raila said.
The trip has led to cancellation of several public rallies queued in his packed election campaigns programme.
They include the scheduled rallies in Western – Busia and Bungoma counties – where he was expected to rally the region behind him.
Raila is battling with Deputy President William Ruto for the Western Kenya votes, especially after ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya boss Moses Wetang'ula joined the DP.
“He will not be in Bungoma for the Azimio la Umoja rally and the Busia rally which he was supposed to attend on Friday has been cancelled,” Lugari MP Ayub Savula said.
But as Raila flies out, President Kenyatta has scheduled a two-day Jubilee National Delegates Convention in which the President might publicly take a firm position on his succession.
The NDC planned for February 25 and 26 is expected to endorse Raila for president.
Jubilee vice chairman David Murathe had announced last week they will have a twin NDC alongside ODM that will culminate in announcing Raila at Nyayo National Stadium as the joint presidential candidate.
"Our members have been extremely patient and we finally have an opportunity to rejuvenate, reorganise, rebrand and reenergise the party. We will review our political strategy ahead of the polls," Jubilee Coalition Parliamentary Group Secretary Adan Keynan told the Star.
Ahead of the NDC, the President will on Friday host the Jubilee Parliamentary Group meeting at State House, Nairobi.
This meeting will be providing a road map for our Jubilee party and of course the party leader will be providing guidance on our joining Azimio La Umoja movement
National Assembly Majority leader Amos Kimunya sent out invitations to Jubilee members on Thursday.
"I wish to invite you to the Jubilee Party consultative meeting with our party leader H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta at State House," the message read.
Kimunya said the meeting would start at 9am.
Kieni MP and ardent Azimio La Umoja backer Kanini Kega and said the meeting is long overdue.
“The President who as our party leader has called us for a strategy meeting to discuss among others our upcoming National Delegates Convention and his planned tours for Mt Kenya,” Kanini said.
“Of course, this meeting will be providing a road map for our Jubilee party and of course the party leader will be providing guidance on our joining Azimio La Umoja movement,” he added.
The vocal legislator said the meeting will be exclusively for Jubilee Party members and not its Tangatanga wing, which is now allied to Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance.
Kanini said they are not welcome at State House.
The meeting is expected to discuss and affirm Jubilee’s commitment to Azimio and the President's planned countrywide tours.
This will be the first PG the President will be chairing in a long time. The last meeting held at KICC in 2020 led to the bloodbath of the DP’s allies.
On Thursday, there were reports that the two handshake partners were to meet the Azimio Parliamentary Caucus and chairs of parties within the coalition.
Azimio La Umoja is set to be registered as a coalition political party that will bring onboard more than 10 political parties.
Raila and Uhuru are keen to form a mega Narc-like coalition to face the DP in the high-stakes election.
However, their meeting was called off at the last minute due to what insiders said was the President’s busy schedule.
Sources aware of the meeting that was to be held at KICC told the Star that it was meant to unveil the Azimio La Umoja Council – a top organ bringing together representatives of all affiliate parties.
“Azimio is supposed to be launched but there are issues still being streamlined, they are still working on interim officials,” Savula said.
Savula, who is the DAP-Kenya deputy party leader, one of the Azimio affiliate parties, said the council will be launched soon after Raila jets back into the country.
ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna told the Star the Azimio coordination council will manage activities of the coalition.
(Edited by V. Graham)
