The One Kenya Alliance (OKA) has announced that it will field its own presidential candidate in the 2022 General Election, a move that is likely to affect ODM leader Raila Odinga’s hopes of effectively vying for the presidency in 2022.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, August 17, after their two-day consensus-building meeting in Naivasha, the OKA principals Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper) and Gideon Moi (KANU) did not reveal their presidential flag bearer but insisted one of them will be on the ballot.
“We hereby unequivocally state that One Kenya Alliance will field a presidential candidate in next year’s General Election,” they said in a joint statement without revealing who the they will front for the top seat.
Although the former Prime Minister has not declared his intentions to contest for the presidency, there has been push especially from president Uhuru Kenyatta to have `one Kenya Alliance principals back him for the top seat.
The statement from One Kenya Alliance quartet comes barely a week after President Uhuru Kenyatta asked Mudavadi, Kalonzo, Wetang’ula, and Moi to back Raila Odinga so as to have a realistic chance of defeating Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto in 2022.
In a meeting attended at the State House lodge in Mombasa, the Head of State reportedly assured the OKA of a defeat if they go it alone without Raila Odinga.
“I cannot support you if you are not united. From the poll, if you do not unite, Ruto will even get 50+1 without the need for a second round,
“From where I sit, the best chance you have to win is to support Raila. He seems to have a realistic chance, but only with your support,” President Uhuru told the OKA principals.
On Tuesday, morning, the Jubilee National Management Committee permitted the party secretariat to formally engage with ODM in drawing a pre-election coalition deal ahead of the crucial 2022 presidential race.
On a day of coalition formations, the move paves the way for Raila Doinga’s party to enter a coalition with Uhuru’s Jubilee party at a time deputy president Wiliam Ruto has ruled out forming any form of coalition.
