If push comes to shove, Raila Odinga would rather endorse his Cord co-principals Moses Wetang’ula and Kalonzo Musyoka for president than Musalia Mudavadi. “Do you think I’m the kind of person who can endorse anybody for the seat?” the ODM leader said on Saturday.
Raila said he will soon announce his presidential candidature, shaking every corner of the world, and mount a vigorous campaign. He said he will run for president on the ODM ticket and dismissed rumours that he is in talks with ANC leader Mudavadi to endorse him as the Cord flagbearer. Raila spoke at Segere during the burial of Fanuel Onyango, father of former Siaya county chairman Aggrey.
He said Cord was a marriage of convenience and ODM will stand on its own when the right time comes. “Cord is like a polygamous family where during the day all the children go to the field and play together only for each of them to retire to their specific houses at sunset,” Raila said.
He said ODM supported the proposal to stop politicians from party hopping because the party has suffered dearly in Nyanza and this should not be allowed to happen again. “We want this time our votes to match in a six-piece suit pattern hence the need for free and fair nominations,” Raila said.
He dared those with a different opinion to seek alternative parties. “When have you ever seen an Imam enter a church to pray and a bishop conduct prayers in a mosque?” Raila said. He expressed confidence that with the exit of the IEBC commissioners, ODM stands a better chance of winning the next presidential election.
Raila said thanks to a doctored election register, two million fake voters voted for President Uhuru Kenyatta in the March 4, 2013 general election. He was with Senator James Orengo, MPs Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem), Omondi Muluan (Alego-Usonga) and Christine Ombaka (Siaya Woman Rep).