The One Kenya Alliance has announced that it will field a presidential candidate in next year’s General Elections.
This comes after OKA principals converged at Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha to craft its 2022 General Election roadmap.
The alliance which brings together Gideon Moi (Kanu), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper) and Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya) said that OKA was anchored on shared ideals of individual freedom, national unity, equal economic and social opportunities for all.
“As the “GREAT RIFT VALLEY DECLARATION”, we hereby unequivocally state that One Kenya Alliance will field a presidential candidate in next year’s general elections. And the candidate is here,” read a statement from OKA.
According to the OKA leaders, yesterday’s gathering will culminate in a collective agreement to roll out an array of joint public engagement activities where they will not only share their agenda of an economic liberation but also demonstrate to Kenyans that they have a unique opportunity to bestow their sovereign power on a responsible and trustworthy leadership.
They said that their main vision for the 2022 polls will be reviving the economy of the country.
“Therefore, our main vision and mission is to resuscitate Kenya’s economy and hence, we require practical solutions to the economic challenges our people are grappling with. Empty narratives and sloganeering on economic models are not the antidote to our challenges,” stated OKA.
On the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report ruling set for this Friday by the Court of Appeal, the OKA principals said that they will accept and respect the verdict of the courts irrespective of the outcome.
“We wish to restate that our resolve to be the leadership committed to seeing a one united Kenya,” said the leaders.
The Alliance also called upon President Uhuru Kenyatta to unleash the full wrath of the law on leaders with a strong affinity for plunder of national resources.
“More than ever, we stand a chance to strengthen institutions mandated to fight graft through adequate funding and protection against interference,” said OKA principals.
“Additionally, we must revert to the most fundamental governance
principle that must underpin all our economic and social policies: public participation.”
Even as OKA principals declared publicly that one of them will be the presidential candidate, it is clear that nobody is willing to step down for the other.
Early this month, Kalonzo launched his 2022 presidential campaign secretariat at the Wiper party offices.
The secretariat dubbed the ‘SKM Command Centre’ will act as the official communications centre for Kalonzo.
Kalonzo said Kenyans want a government that protects them, not one that harms them.
“We cannot elect leaders who seek to exploit our fears for their own political survival… we must properly diagnose what ails Kenya and develop blueprints that work,” he said.
Though Mudavadi affirmed their commitment to continue working together as OKA for good of the country, he termed rumors of him supporting someone else for presidency a wild dream.
Mudavadi said his eyes are on the ultimate prize, adding that he is the hope Kenyans are looking for.
“I’m in this to the end. I have a clear plan to sail Kenyans to socio-economic prosperity. Anyone who thinks otherwise is day dreaming,” Mudavadi said.
His sentiments came days afterPresident Uhuru Kenyatta urged OKA co-principals to support ODM leader Raila Odinga in the upcoming presidential election.
Although details of the meeting held between the President, OKA leaders and Rail in Mombasa are scant, Kenyatta is said to have asked the leaders to unite if they aspire to beat Deputy President William Ruto in the race to the house on the hill.
