At a secret meeting held in Machakos three weeks ago, CORD leader Raila Odinga threatened his co-principals Moses Wetangula and Kalonzo Musyoka that he could drop his presidential bid and refuse to support any of them.
The meeting had been held a day to the political rally that was dubbed as the ‘home-coming’ tour of Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama following his four day arrest and charge over hate speech remarks.
According to the Sunday Nation, Raila told off Wetangula and Kalonzo in fury over what he considered as their attempts to lock him out of the 2017 presidential elections.
At the gathering which was held on July 2 at Maanzoni Lodge, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Mr Wetang’ula reportedly wanted Mr Odinga to step down and allow the two of them to fight it out between them to be the Cord flag-bearer. The proposal was to have the loser in the contest between Mr Musyoka and Mr Wetang’ula become the automatic running mate.
The Sunday Nation further reported that Raila was asked to remain a statesman and support the two against the Jubilee ticket of incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto.
“The discussion was so similar to another in 2007 when (ODM) Pentagon members said Raila could not be candidate because Kenyans could not elect a Luo. Raila shed tears at that 2007 meeting,” a participant at the closed door meeting told the Sunday Nation.
Hurt by the reasons his co-principals were advancing to lock him out of the race to be the Cord flag-bearer, Mr Odinga threatened that he could shelve his presidential ambitions and refuse to back any candidate in the 2017 elections. The threat caught Mr Musyoka and Mr Wetang’ula flatfooted as they had not anticipated it.
It is this meeting that has gone on to trigger divisions in CORD, with both Wetangula and Kalonzo appearing to lead a revolt against a Raila candidacy in 2017.
Over the last week, Wetangula has increased his utterances over Raila’s lack of numerical strength in 2017, and even told him off for his Western tour which was concluded on Saturday.
