Kalonzo said Ruto drafted a deal in which the VP would be the presidential aspirant, Uhuru the running mate and the URP party leader the majority leader in Parliament.“The deal was good but the Rift Valley MPs advised Ruto to leave it and form an alliance with TNA,” said Kalonzo.
Uhuru and Ruto are expected to sign a pre-election pact on Tuesday to enhance their chances of forming the next government. The VP made the remarks on Saturday at Oloirowua village Narok county.
Kalonzo said he does not regret being short-changed by Uhuru and Ruto but remains determined to be the fourth president of Kenya.
He said he had signed a pact with Uhuru and former Internal Security minister George Saitoti to settle on a single presidential candidate for the next general election.
“The alliance would have brought real change in this country but broke after the death of Saitoti in a plane crash,” said Kalonzo.
He denied the claims that his Wiper Democratic Movement has a reached a political deal with Prime Minister Raila Odinga's ODM party.
“The media have driven people to think that we have formed an alliance with ODM but that it is not true. This has made some tribes to panic that they will be left out in the formation of coalitions,” said Kalonzo.
He said that he is open to talks with "like-minded parties". “When it comes to coalition, you have to put Kenyans first by accommodating all the tribes,” Kalonzo said.
The presidential hopeful said there will still be time for mergers after December 4 when parties are expected to make public their deals.
“January 4 is the final arrangement of the coalitions and the running mate positions. So there will still be room for coming together,” said Kalonzo. He was in Narok for the farewell party of Enoosupukia ward civic leader Lila Mututwa who retired after 10 years.
The VP was accompanied by Kitui West MP Charles Nyamai, Narok governor aspirants Daniel Taleng’o ole Kiptunen and Samuel Tunai, women's representative hopefuls Lydia Masikonde and Agnes Pareiyo and Narok East parliamentary aspirants Benson Meshuko, Ken Kiloku, Solomon Muntet and UDM secretary general Martin ole Kamwaro,.
Nyamai told the Maasai community to support Kalonzo for president because of his long experience in politics.
“Kalonzo is the right man to lead this country after President Kibaki retires because he served this nation at various capacities," he said.
The Kitui West legislator said Wiper is the only party that will articulate issues currently affecting Kenyans and would help the communities like the Maasai to unite and have bargaining power in the next government.
