ODM-K luminaries desperate to get visas from former colonial masters

By Ayub Savula

Anxiety was rife at the ODM-Kenya secretariat over fears of a visa hitch for two presidential aspirants planning to travel to the United Kingdom.

Eldoret North MP Mr William Ruto and former Sabatia MP Mr Musalia Mudavadi have both been mentioned adversely in public cases in the past.

The British High Commission has in the past barred public leaders mentioned in cases related to graft from travelling to the UK unless cleared by the Government.

Ruto has a case pending in court on alleged illegal acquisition of land while Musalia, a former Finance minister was mentioned in the Goldenberg scandal, but later cleared by the Justice Samuel Bosire Commission of Inquiry.

On Monday, Ruto said a UK visa was not an issue and expressed confidence he would get the travel clearance.

“The visa is not an issue. I am going to attend the meeting. I am prepared,” said Ruto.

Mudavadi said he has not applied for the visa because he will not be travelling to the UK as he had planned a series of rallies, which he cannot cancel at the last minute.

Claims dismissed as propaganda

The former Vice President said he has never had a problem with the UK mission. I did not apply for the visa because “I am not travelling, but I have no problem”.

He dismissed as propaganda claims that he feared applying for the visa because it could be denied.

A source at the British High Commission said no applications had been received as at Monday from the travelling team. The source declined to confirm if any of the leaders was on the blacklist.

“The trend is never to notify the affected person, but to wait until they apply and then they are denied,” the source said.

Former Transport minister, Dr Chris Murungaru, was denied a UK visa when he sought to travel to the United States.

But some of the leaders in the ODM-Kenya top line-up were understood to have valid visas.

They include Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, Mr Raila Odinga, Mr Najib Balala and Mr Uhuru Kenyatta. Prof Julia Ojiambo said she had applied for the visa.

Aspirants will be treated to an exclusive dinner

On Monday, the ODM-Kenya UK office added the name of another presidential aspirant Ms Nazlin Umar, to the list of invitees, after she complained that she had been omitted.

The co-ordinator of the trip in Britain, Dr Kipnyango Seroney, said ODM-Kenya London office was paying for the tickets.

Seroney, the secretary of ODM-Kenya London office, said that the aspirants would be treated to an exclusive dinner at Down Hall Country House Hotel in North London, before attending a rally at a school in Wembley, where 10 UK MPs are expected.

The London excursion that starts this Friday to next Wednesday has been billed as a bonding event to dissolve differences among the leaders.

Meanwhile, the London secretariat is making final arrangements for a live broadcast of the speeches by the aspirants on a Kenyan FM radio station.

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