Mudavadi in secret talks with Balala and Kenneth

Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi on Monday held talks with former Cabinet minister Najib Balala, Planning assistant minister Peter Kenneth and former Trade Minister Mukhisa Kituyi as he intensified consultations to decide his political future.The four leaders declined to speak to the Nation about the nature of the talks at Serena Hotel, but sources close to them revealed that it centred on Mr Mudavadi’s options should he choose to ditch the Orange Democratic Movement.The meeting, the sources revealed, was arranged by Dr Kituyi who has emerged as one of Mr Mudavadi’s key linkmen in consultations to chart his political future.Dr Kituyi was the first to arrive at the hotel for the meeting at 4.30pm followed a few minutes later by Mr Balala and Mr Kenneth.Mr Mudavadi was at the hotel to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the government, the Nairobi City Council and Aga Khan Trust for Culture to collaborate in the rehabilitation and restoration of City Park. But just before the function started, he asked to be excused so that he could meet “a mutual friend”.“Let me meet a mutual friend briefly before I join you,” he was overheard telling officials of the Aga Khan Trust. He then joined Dr Kituyi and the other leaders who were seated at a secluded section within the hotel.After about 20 minutes, Mr Mudavadi went back to the official function, leaving Mr Balala, Mr Kenneth and Dr Kituyi chatting.Like Mr Mudavadi, Mr Balala was a member of the ODM Pentagon that spearheaded Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s presidential campaign in 2007. ...Click here