I will not quit CORD for Jubilee Presidential hopeful Moses Wetangula

Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula has said that he will not quit the CORD coalition due to his presidential ambitions.

Wetangula says he will pursue his presidential bid within the opposition coalition, rather than decamp and join the ruling Jubilee coalition.

Speaking during a funeral at Biteke village in Kiminini, Trans Nzoia County, the CORD co-principal criticized President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto for attending the Nakuru thanksgiving ceremony, saying the two should focus on compensating all victims of the the 2007/08 Post Election Violence.

The Bungoma Senator alleged that the Jubilee coalition had favoured IDPs from certain communities in the compensation plan at the expense of those perceived to be allied to the opposition.

In an apparent swipe at Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, the Senate Minority Leader dismissed claims that his Ford Kenya party does not have a national following as compared to ODM.

Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa said time has come for CORD leader Raila Odinga to support Wetangula’s presidential bid as payback to the Luhya community which supported his father and him.

Two days ago, the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) 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.

In the statement signed by CORD Management Committee 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.

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.