Cord leader Raila Odinga has accused Jubilee of buying Cord members, days after ODM Secretary General Ababu Namwamba quit the Orange party.
Raila accused the ruling coalition of using money swindled through corruption to buy some opposition leaders ahead of 2017 elections. He did not name those allegedly bought by Jubilee.
“We are far much ahead of Jubilee. Even if they buy some of us, they must know those we expect of joining us are more than them,” Raila said at Kipasi Primary school in Migori, on Friday.
He asked his supporters not to be worried about leaders leaving the coalition and said that Cord will emerge stronger in the coming elections.
“We will fight with them (Jubilee) like a dog and a baboon. This time round we are ready for them,” said Raila.
Raila assured aspirants eyeing seats through ODM of free, fair and early primaries to ensure only popular candidates get certificates.
He was accompanied by Migori governor Okoth Obado, MPs Junet Mohamed (Suna East), T.J Kajwang (Ruaraka), woman representatives Mishi Mboko (Mombasa), Aisha Jumwa (Kilifi) and Florence Mutua (Busia).
The former prime minister assured his supporters that there would be no direct nominations for any politician ahead of the 2017 general elections.
“Nobody should expect me to raise his hands. I will work with those you will give me,” Raila stated.
He said ODM will conduct nominations once, twice or even thrice in case of any complaint to have only the people’s preferred candidates picked as flagbearer.
“We will have early nominations so that we have time to repeat the process in case of a problem,” he said adding that they will not allow rigging as witnessed in the 2013 elections.
“Leadership is taken and not given. We will capture power come 2017,” and called for six piece voting for ODM candidates.
“This time round we don’t want madoadoa. We want six piece,” he added.
Raila is has planned several rallies in Western Kenya for the next two weeks in a move to consolidate his support in the region, a move seen to be about neutralising ODM rebels.
Ababu, once ODM’s rising star, had complained of frustration in the party amid claims he had decamped to Jubilee. He denied the claims.
He had been criticised as an absentee leaders but was defended by the party, executive director Oduor Ong’wen saying his position was not vacant.
ODM leader Raila Odinga had said Ababu band Otuoma were still in the party and had asked members to tolerate democracy.
