Amani leader Musalia Mudavadi has said he is ready to join Raila Odinga’s CORD coalition with an aim of being made the flag bearer in 2017 general election.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Mudavadi said: ” Niko tayari kupeperusha bendera ya Cord iwapo wataniunga mkono, nitafurahi na kushukuru sana .” losely translates to: “I am ready to fly Cord’s flag if they support [my presidential bid]. I will be happy and very grateful.”
His remarks came a day after it emerged that he held a secret breakfast meeting at a Nairobi hotel with top luyha politicians.
The leaders included Senators Moses Wetang’ula (Bungoma) and Bonny Khalwale (Kakamega), and former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo.
It was rumoured that the leaders agreed on principle to focus their energies in mobilizing the community to register as voters and rally them to support CORD coalition since the large percentage of Mulembe people are solid behind Raila despite disappoints previously mainly due to Mt Kenya mafia rigging.
It emerged also that the Luyha leaders agreed to push CORD to endorse Hon Musalia to fly the CORD flag for Nairobi governor given the dismal performance by the incumbent Evans Kidero- this is on account that Wetangula is already a co-principal and Kalonzo will most likely never go for anything less than DP position.
Hon Jirongo is said to have noted that Hon Musalia candidature for Nairobi governor will do a blow to DP Ruto’s choice of Eugene Wamalwa and will effectively bury Jubilee in the city and position Musalia as Raila heir apparent post 2017 elections.
The meeting was interpreted as an effort to consolidate the region’s votes ahead of the general election.
But Mudavadi said: “We just met for breakfast and we shall meet again as we share our ideas on various issues.”
He said there was no harm in meeting “his colleagues”.
“I respect them and I would rather speak to them on what is good and bad in terms of ideologies,” he added.
