Opposition principals swear to remain united amid internal rivalry

Opposition bigwigs have once again maintained they will remain united, despite intensified internal jostling to fly the joint ticket.

The opposition unity was the clarion call on Friday during the People Liberation Party Special National Delegates Conference.

PLP leader Martha Karua said they have agreed as United Opposition that while they will go all out to build their individual candidatures, they will at the end sit down and settle on one of them.

“We have promised ourselves with my brothers here [Kalonzo Musyoka, Rigathi Gachagua, Eugene Wamalwa and Justin Muturi] that each of us will grow our candidature as a presidential candidate but at the end of the day, we will subordinate our ambitions to the interests of Kenyans,” Karua said.

Declaring that she would only seek a single term if she secures the joint ticket, Karua said upon settling on a joint candidate, they would also agree on a fair formula to share the six elective posts among the opposition parties.

Former Agriculture CS and DCP national organising secretary Mithika Linturi said they are committed to backing the person who will be picked to fly the “United Opposition” flag.

“We know that unity will be our strength and we know our country is bleeding. So we are committed to backing that candidate. We are also here to demonstrate that the opposition unity is real, will last and it will liberate Kenya,” Linturi added.

Democratic Party leader and ex-Public Service CS Justin Muturi sustained the unity push, saying they are moving forward as a united front, and only that they have to put in place systems that President William Ruto cannot thwart.

However, fears of some opposition figures betraying the cause also featured, with Muturi saying if supporters see any of them being shaky, then they should label them the mole.

“If you see any of us akiteleza, huyu mjue ni msaliti. Can we resolve that in this PLP convention?” Muturi posed.

Gachagua also raised the issue, saying while he knows some will be “compromised, fall off and or bought by Ruto”, he believes Karua is among the leaders who will go all the way.

He was, however, quick to say that it is in order for all the presidential hopefuls to declare their interest and to go out and mobilise.

“Let everyone go out and mobilise the vote, and then when we sit, we shall make all the sacrifices necessary to make sure that under whatever circumstances, we have one presidential candidate to face [President] William Ruto,” he said.

The DCP leader noted that his only regret if he is not picked as the joint candidate would be missing out on a chance to face off with Ruto in the presidential debate.

Further, he said Ruto is determined to break up the opposition, and “soon, some moles will be used to split the opposition”.

Former Gatundu North MP Patrick Muiruri urged the opposition principals to ensure they don’t split, referencing the 2002 Narc opposition unity.

“Towards the 2002 election, we went to Lake Nakuru Lodge to deliberate on who would be the opposition candidate. The Late Mwai Kibaki was there with his lieutenants, I being one of them. Charity Ngilu was there with her lieutenants as well. The late Kijana Wamalwa was also there. After speaking for a long time, we agreed that Kibaki had enough votes. Wamalwa said ‘​I am surrendering my right to vie​ for president and back Kibaki,” Muiruri recalled.

"When you get to negotiate, if it is Kalonzo, he has enough experience. If it is Karua, she also has enough experience. But for heaven's sake, don’t go separate ways”.