Wiper, Ford Kenya say were duped by ODM in 2013 MOU

The coalition agreement signed by CORD co-principals Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula does not outline how the presidential baton would be handed over from one candidate to another.

Copies of the agreement submitted to the Registrar of Political Parties in 2013 does not include an alleged clause detailing how Odinga would vie for the presidency in the last General Election for one term, and pave the way for Musyoka next year, and Wetangula in 2022.

The CORD management team has been on a fire fighting mission, following friction triggered by contents of the MOU detailing how Odinga, Musyoka and Wetangula would seek the presidency for a single term each in 2013, 2017 and 2022.

However, copies of the coalition agreement signed by the three on the doorsteps of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in December 2012 do not include the clause that has caused disquiet in the opposition coalition.

According to Section 10(V) of coalition agreement’s addendum signed on 31^st January, 2013 the presidential ticket was assigned to ODM, with the running mate’s slot allocated to the wiper party. In this case, Odinga and Musyoka respectively, the pre-poll pact document, however, does not state if Odinga was to vie for one term only, as claimed by some Wiper and Ford Kenya lawmakers.

In the agreement that was deposited with the Registrar of Political Parties, Wetangula’s Ford Kenya was assigned the position of Majority Leader in either Houses of Parliament. However, Wetangula’s allies claim he was not treated as an equal partner in CORD and want the agreement renegotiated, a demand that has angered some ODM members who claim the Bungoma Senator was seeking an excuse to exit the coalition ahead of next year’s General Election.

The agreement binds ODM, Wiper and Ford Kenya until after next year’s polls. However, the process of picking the CORD presidential candidate has triggered suspicion among the coalition partners, with Odinga, Musyoka and Wetangula insisting on flying the CORD flag.

Odinga’s supporters insist he was the coalition’s obvious candidate in next year’s race to State House, angering allies of Musyoka and Wetangula, who are demanding for a free, fair and transparent nomination exercise.