Musalia Mudavadi READY to JOIN Raila’s CORD, Francis Atwoli and Hon Jirongo to Mobilize for Raila in 2017

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 .”

This loosely 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 Western 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 principal to focus their energies in mobilizing the community to register as voters and also in principal to support CORD coalition since Mulembe nation seem to be behind Raila despite disappoints mainly due to Mt Kenya mafia rigging.

It emerged also that the leaders agreed that CORD can easily agree to have Musalia to fly the CORD flag for Nairobi governor given the dismal performance by the incumbent Evans Kidero.

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.

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.

The Star learned that the Western Kenya politicians may be planning to field their own candidate for the presidency.

The region had been considered a ‘safe’ ODM zone but this far-reaching political realignment could shake Cord leader Raila Odinga’s single largest voter bloc.

On July 30, a group of MPs from the region, calling themselves the Third Force, entered the fray and asked all political leaders from the larger Luhya community to rally behind one candidate in 2017.

The group led by Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba and Sirisia’s John Walukhe opened talks with Mudavadi, Wetang’ula and Jirongo to establish common ground to forge an alliance.

The three, all interested in running for president, would then agree to field one of them as the sole flag bearer for the region.

The caucus has also reached out to firebrand Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli, who is leading a parallel initiative to unite Luyha leaders and forge a common agenda.

The aim is to fold Atwoli’s supporters into the Third Force.

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