Mudavadi to be on the ballot despite DP Ruto pact, says ANC party

The Amani National Congress (ANC) party now says its leader Musalia Mudavadi will still go all the way to the ballot in the August 9th presidential poll as its flag bearer despite the recent announcement of a partnership with Deputy President William Ruto.

Speaking after holding the party’s Parliamentary Group meeting on Tuesday, the party insisted that the presence of DP Ruto at the National Delegates Conference (NDC) in Bomas on Sunday should not be interpreted to mean that Mudavadi has shelved his ambitions for the top seat.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Emuhaya Member of Parliament (MP) Omboko Milemba said part of the meeting’s resolution was to set the record straight that Mudavadi’s journey to the presidency is on course.

“At the National Delegates meeting last weekend, our party leader was given the mandate to look for friends to partner with in his journey to State House. Let it be known that as a party, we have agreed that Mudavadi is going for nothing less than the presidency,” he said.

The MP added that the party is open to making more friends who will support the Mudavadi presidency journey.

The party’s position comes a few days after DP Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Mudavadi’s ANC announced that they will work together towards the August elections.

Speculations have been rife that the ANC leader will shelve his presidency ambition in favour of Ruto who is not allowed by the Constitution to serve again as deputy president once his second term in office expires.

“In this course, we are looking for more friends to join and support us. Musalia Mudavadi remains our party’s presidential candidate for the August elections and we have presented him to Kenyans and nothing is going to stop that,” said Milemba.

The party also announced that it has formed a campaign programme and starting Wednesday, it will have a joint rally in Nakuru with Ruto and his UDA team.

On Friday, the party will be in Bungoma County and on Saturday wind up the first round of campaigns after Mudavadi’s launch of his presidential campaign and manifesto with a series of rallies in Kirinyaga County.

Present at the meeting were party leader Mudavadi, his deputy Abdi Yare, MPs Alfred Agoi, Kassim Tandaza, Omboko Milemba, Beatrice Adagala, Sakwa Bunyasi, Petronila Were, Malulu Injendi and Ernest Kagesi.