Wetang’ula pleads with Raila to support his presidential bid
Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang’ula has asked ODM leader Raila Odinga to step out of the 2017 presidential race in favor of his co-principles in the Cord alliance.
The Bungoma Senator is of the view that Cord stands a better chance of winning the elections if Mr Odinga steps aside.
Mr Wetang’ula, alongside Mr Odinga and Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka are yet to decide who among them should be Cord’s flag-bearer in the forthcoming polls.
“You see now he (Raila) is in the Western region trying to popularize his party (ODM), and has met with some resistance. That resistance does not mean the people are tired of ODM, it’s because the people know Wetangu’la is there. They were asking why he has gone their without Wetangu’la,” said Senator in an interview with a local TV station.
STEP ASIDE
“Sometimes you might go somewhere and see multitudes of people, and you think that those are votes. But some people may just be there listen to you or see you for the first time. Other times you might go somewhere and not very many people come out but the votes are there.”
He further insisted that in despite of their differences of opinion notwithstanding, he is still committed to Cord.
“In my opinion, he (Raila) should just accept that he has vied for the presidency three times and that it is time to step aside and support the winning team,” Wetangu’la added.
Mr Odinga vied for the presidency in 1997, 2007 and 2013. In 2014 the coalition partners signed an agreement on who would vie for presidency in 2017. The MOU stated that Odinga would be a one term president and pass the button to Mr Musyoka.
But the Bungoma Senator’s decision to launch his presidential campaign earlier in the year seems to have thrown Cord’s plan into disarray.