Friday, February 4, 2022 – Deputy President William Ruto has all the reasons to be worried after President Uhuru Kenyatta sealed a deal with Kalonzo Musyoka to support ODM Leader Raila Odinga’s presidential bid.
According to sources, Uhuru has held at least two closed-door meetings with Kalonzo and his other OKA principals in a frantic attempt to persuade them to join forces ahead of the August 9 polls.
The first meeting, attended by Kalonzo, Gideon Moi, Martha Karua and Cyrus Jirongo was held at State House on Monday.
It was followed by another one on Tuesday night which was attended by Raila, Kalonzo and two of their close allies at the same venue.
Sources intimated that the meetings were tense with Kalonzo said to have demanded to know why Raila could not support him, for the country’s top seat instead.
“The discussions were thorough. He (Kalonzo) wanted to know what is in store for him. But at the end they agreed,” the source said.
Raila and Kalonzo are said to be engaging in further talks that will culminate into the formation of a mega coalition that will decimate Ruto in the August political duel.
On Wednesday, the former vice president said their alliance (OKA) was open to negotiations with like-minded political formations in what some interpreted as laying the ground for a possible coalition with Raila Odinga’s Azimio La Umoja movement.
During the signing of the agreement, OKA ruled out the possibility of partnering with the Kenya Kwanza Alliance, which brings together Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), Amani National Congress (ANC) Boss Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula.