There is no Jubilee-ODM party merger, Tuju declares
Hillary Mageka @hillarymageka
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party yesterday said it is not in any coalition talks with Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ahead of the 2022 General Election.
Secretary General Raphael Tuju, the ruling party is in a gentleman’s arrangement with ODM that guarantees peace and a conducive environment for Uhuru to deliver on its mandate.
In an interview with KTN news on Wednesday, Tuju blamed the party’s detractors including Deputy President William Ruto and allies of spreading “innuendos and half-truths” about their working with the Opposition party.
“The moment we sit with ODM who have given us almost 100 per cent support in Parliament, then people start talking of merger because they understand even the word merger,” Tuju told News Hour programme.
“When you see us talking with ODM probably because I am a Luo, it is speculate but I want to put it to rest that there is no merger between Jubilee and ODM,” Tuju added, saying ODM just like other partners in Nasa, has been supporting the government’s agenda in Parliament.
Coalition talks
Tuju’s sentiments comes just a month after he suggested that there were plans for Jubilee to team up with ODM in a coalition arrangement ahead of the polls.
“Talks are top gear to have the two parties work together in the next General Election,” Tuju told a press conference in last month.
Last week, the party is alleged to have resolved to freeze coalition talks with ODM for five months to focus on its own revamp. Jubilee expects the move will enable it to strengthen party structures, seal internal cracks and shore up public appeal to enhance its bargaining power in the 2022 Uhuru-Raila coalition, that is expected to take on DP Ruto in next year’s presidential race.
“National Executive Committee members agreed that there was need to concentrate on revamping the party after its fortunes dwindled following a fall out between President Uhuru and his deputy,” a source who attended the meeting told People Daily on phone.
But defending their working with the Orange Party, Tuju , stated Jubilee needed ODM in both Houses of Parliament to ensure the government’s transformation agenda faces little opposition in the law-making organs.
