CORD to pick presidential candidate through the ballot

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) has settled on a method they will use to pick their presidential candidate for the 2017 elections.

In a media briefing at Capitol Hill on Thursday, CORD resolved to pick their candidate through consensus or the ballot as opposed to endorsement in order to avert any discontent within the coalition.

“The parties to the CORD coalition; Ford Kenya, Wiper and ODM fully recognize the value of unity and are committed to doing everything possible to preserve that unity. There is no dissent on that point,” said the coalition in statement read by Ford Kenya Secretary General Eseli Simiyu.

“We, therefore, reiterate what we said two days ago that calls for endorsement by one or the other of the principals must end. They serve no useful purpose and only create unnecessary tension and confusion. CORD will not pick its candidate through endorsements.”

In the statement signed by CORD co-chairs Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama, Siaya Senator James Orengo and Eseli, CORD claimed that they will focus their energy on pushing the government to ensure the living standards in the country have improved.

“Kenyans are struggling with a crushing, humiliating and ever rising national debt, unprecedented levels of corruption, a broken national security system and an electoral infrastructure that exposes us to divisions and wars rather than unity and democratic results every five years,” stated the Kimilili MP.

“Kenyans want us to focus on these; not on who among us is the greatest or the most fit to be presidential candidate. We assure the people of Kenya that their voices matter to us and we shall continue putting Jubilee on its toes on these critical national issues.”

The coalition has been a topic of discussion in recent days following a tussle over who among its three principals will be the flag bearer in the 2017 presidential election.

While Ford Kenya and Wiper have each insisted that their leaders Moses Wetangula and Kalonzo Musyoka should be the coalition’s candidate, ODM has remained adamant that Raila Odinga has the most realistic chance of unseating President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The leaders held a series of meetings last week in a bid to solve the impasse, with a follow-up press briefing by Kalonzo and press statements by Raila and Wetangula reassuring supporters that the coalition was still united.

Meanwhile, CORD has stated that it will hold a public rally at Laini Saba Grounds in Kibra to push for justice for victims of 2007/08 Post Election Violence and reforms at the electoral body IEBC.

Though the agenda seems set, it is widely perceived that the rally is meant to run parallel with a thanksgiving ceremony to be held by Jubilee in Nakuru the same Saturday to celebrate the collapse of President Uhuru Kenyatta and DP William Ruto’s cases at the ICC.

@benjaminwafula