Raila holds secret talks on referendum

Cord principals Kalonzo Musyoka, Raila Odinga and Moses Wetang'ula during the Saba Saba rally in Nairobi on July 7, 2014. The Cord leaders went to Tanzania to strategise on the proposed referendum. FILE PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• The three drove in a small convoy accompanied by a few confidants into Ngorongoro National Park through the Namanga border.
• “It was an internal opposition coalition retreat. I don’t want to divulge any details about the trip,” Dr Simiyu said when contacted.
• The coalition will require support from at least 24 counties for the popular initiative to go through without a hitch.

By ISAAC ONGIRI
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By PETER LEFTIE
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Cord leader Raila Odinga went to Tanzania to strategise on the proposed referendum accompanied by co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula.

 

The three drove in a small convoy accompanied by a few confidants into Ngorongoro National Park through the Namanga border.

Mr Odinga and his group left the country Sunday for the trip said to be mainly a housekeeping retreat to discuss the referendum.

Mr Wetang’ula on Thursday declined to discuss the matter when the Nation contacted him, only insisting: “It was top secret. I can’t talk about it.”

Though the rest of the Cord leadership returned on Tuesday, Mr Wetang’ula stayed for an extra day and came back on Wednesday.

Sources revealed that some of the leaders who accompanied them were Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and MPs Timothy Bosire (Kitutu Masaba) and Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren).

A few members of the Okoa Kenya Movement, which is steering Cord’s referendum, were also at the retreat.

REFERENDUM CAMPAIGNS

“It was an internal opposition coalition retreat. I don’t want to divulge any details about the trip,” Dr Simiyu said when contacted.

The three leaders are said to have firmed up strategies drafted by their lieutenants largely touching on the referendum campaigns.

This weekend, the campaign goes to the counties, with Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka presiding over the collection of signatures in Nairobi, Kakamega and Migori.

A statement from Mr Odinga’s office stated that he would launch the exercise in Migori Town while Mr Musyoka would start the process in Embakasi.

The two events will be preceded by the official opening of the offices of the technical committee spearheading the referendum campaign in Lavington on Friday.

The coalition will require support from at least 24 counties for the popular initiative to go through without a hitch.