Narc Kenya Presidential aspirant Martha Karua yesterday turned down an invitation by Prime Minister Raila Odinga to attend the ODM National Delegates Conference saying she did not believe “in preelection coalitions”.

In an open letter sent to newsrooms to respond to the PM’s invitation, Ms Karua said the invitation letter had implied that Narc Kenya had already agreed to join the Coalition for Reform and Democracy (Cord), in which ODM is a founding member.

“For the avoidance of doubt, neither me nor the party I lead (Narc Kenya) are members of the said coalition. We do not believe in pre-election coalitions and as such are not seeking to become members. We therefore with respect decline your invitation,” she wrote.

Mr Odinga who is also the ODM leader and the one seeking endorsement by the party’s NDC for presidency had on Wednesday written to Ms Karua, inviting her to attend the event at the Kasarani sports Complex in Nairobi.

“It is my pleasure to invite you and other representatives of Narc Kenya to attend the National Delegates Convention of ODM scheduled to be held in Nairobi on Friday December 7, 2012,” the letter stated.

“Your presence at the event will contribute greatly in strengthening the partnership amongst the members of

the Coalition for Reform and Democracy.”

The Coalition for Reform and Democracy was founded on Tuesday this week when ODM, Wiper and Ford Kenya signed a pre-election pact. 

Other pacts formed include that between TNA and UDF and Kenya National Congress and Party of Action.

-- Nation

I hear and appreciate many of you who have wondered why I am not seeking a pre-election coalition with others in the Presidential race. 

The media hype around this issue of coalitions may lead one to think that there is only one way or the same way of doing things. 

Consider the leadership coalitions offer to the current Kenyan circumstances of strikes, insecurity and destablized livelihoods. Is this the leadership required to put our country on the right path? 

Jeff Koinange of K24's Capital Talk is back, on the bench.

William Ruto, the embattled Minister for Agriculture is all over the media giving interviews to all who care to listen.

Puzzling is Ruto's allegation on Capital Talk that the witch hunt to finish him is orchestrated by one Martha Wangari Karua and it is all about 2012 politics. Ms Wangari allegedly met with Ruto at one of her friends place where she advanced the idea of cooperating for with Ruto to secure the 2012 elections. Ruto had not time for such nonsense. Wangari is avenging and clearing her way to succeed Emilio Kibaki. What better way than to use the maize scandal and current famine to finish off this "front runner". For this reason among others W. Lord Ruto will not resign or step aside to facilitate investigations.

Martha was also accused of orchestrating a finishing-off netball for Amos Kimunya.

The more W. Lord Ruto denies his hand in the maize scandal the more he makes us believe that where there is smoke there is fire. His picking of Martha Karua is bound to generate heat in the coming weeks. the fact that he did not refer to Oburu Odinga, Raila's elder brother, whose viewpoint is close to Martha's on the maize scandal is telling. Neither did he go vicioulsy for Dr Khalwale's jugular as he did for Martha.

But Ruto is one of the sacred cows in this coalition who must be handled with extreme care for he is brittle. He is not any other sacrificial lamb entwined in a bush waiting to secure Isaac from the Abraham's knife. Some councillors from Nakuru made this point clear last week. So has a large section of Rift valley allied MPs.

Raila knows all to well who holds him by the balls. He has not moved with spped to investigate the maize scandal the way he did with the Grand Regency saga where he formed a committee at 4, committee met at 5 and by 7 the report and verdict was ready for the 9 o'clock news. Orengo, the accuser chaired the committee. You would expect him to appoint Dr Khalwale to chair the maize scandal committee. No, the investigations will be done by an international forensic expert to peruse all NCPB financial transactions, not a boardroom consensus like the Grand regency one. Whether the forensics scope will include Public Ethics Act provisions is another issue.

Ruto does not mind the Hague or the tribunal. Any of those is game for him, he says. As long as there is no selective justice. That means he must be taken with the clear label of "This side up". Selective justice will be applied if he is taken to the Hague or tribunal while those who stole the election or manipulated the process or the outcome or whose inaction caused the violence are not apprehended as well. Going by Ababu's allegations last week, it is easy to guess what Ruto is implying. Afterall Ababu is now available for higher, isn't he?