Kenya's opposition political parties are shaping up for the
general elections expected in December this year with election
campaigns gaining momentum in the east Africa nation.
The main oppositional political parties -- the Orange Democratic
Party-Kenya (ODM-K) and ODM - are due to nominate their
presidential candidates on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 respectively,
marking the start of official campaigns in which incumbent
President Mwai Kibaki is expected to face a tough challenge for the
top office.
Political analysts have predicted that Kenya's fourth multi-
party polls are shaping up to be one of the closest races ever in
the east Africa's biggest economy.
Politicians and aspiring ones are busy lining up their campaign
machinery while pulling all stops to strike the right harmony with
the electorate.
Normally, as is the case with all countries, one needs a
political party to steer him or her to the coveted house,
parliament.
President Kibaki, who is yet to announce his political party of
choice, is seeking re-election for the second term in office during
this year's presidential and parliamentary elections.
Kibaki, who on Tuesday received support from his predecessor
Daniel Moi, is likely to face his former allies, who helped him to
ascend to power in 2002.
"It is going to be a David versus Goliath battle for the
presidency. He (President Kibaki) comes in the name of money, but
we came in the name of change," said Raila Odinga, the leader of
the main opposition, ODM.
The 62-year old opposition leader has spelt out ambitious
programs that he said would transform Kenya into the center of
trade and a key player in Africa's geopolitical map and general
development.
"Kenyans will have only one government, the one they elected.
The informal structures that currently exist are rooted in tribal
alliances and cronyism, and our history tells us that these have
been real engines running our past and current governments," he
said.
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Odinga, who had been instrumental in uniting opposition parties
ahead of the 2002 polls and backing Kibaki's candidacy, is the
latest of a handful of candidates to start official campaigns for
the opposition ODM ticket to run against Kibaki.
Kibaki is already enjoying the support of retired president Moi,
whose populous Rift Valley Province has the highest number of
registered voters in the country.
Moi stood down after 2002 elections, in which his 47-year old
party, KANU, was defeated by a coalition led by Kibaki. Moi's
endorsement is a major boost for the incumbent's re-election
bid.
The former leader, who ruled Kenya for 24 years, still wields
great political influence.
Moi said he was disappointed that "tribalism and selfish individual
interests have been entrenched in our society."
"After very careful assessment, informed by my political
experience spanning half a century, I am convinced that Mwai Kibaki
ought to be given the chance to complete the constitutionally
accepted two-term tenure," Moi said during a news conference.
President Kibaki's team has hired a private campaigner to work
on the logistics of his re-election. Kibaki's campaign team has
said that their target was to get some 8 million votes, about 66
percent of the total number of the registered voters.
"They say they will bring so much money but my word is you take
the money because it is your money but vote in the right box,"
Raila told his supporters on Sunday during a campaign rally in
Mombasa, the country's coastal city.
William Ruto, who is running for ODM's presidential ticket
against five other contenders for the post, said that plans to pick
the party's presidential flag bearer are complete in readiness for
the presidential elections.
The National Rainbow Coalition party of Kenya (NARC-Kenya), a
new political party, formed a year ago and which is believed to be
President Kibaki's party of choice, has urged the incumbent to call
for early elections to counter the divided opposition.
But Kibaki has cautioned Kenyans against speculation,
maintaining that the elections will be held as scheduled.
ODM suffered a split two weeks ago when the Raila faction walked
away with ODM, while his ally and former foreign minister Kalonzo
Musyoka, retained the ODM-Kenya. The two parties are still
wrangling over the party's assets.
Political analysts say if the two -- ODM-K and ODM --
presidential aspirants could stick together, they could defeat the
current incumbent who is widely expected to seek re-election at the
expiry of his current term.
(Xinhua News Agency August 30, 2007)
