Mijikenda Youth Forum patron Nyonga Wa Makemba during a briefing where they termed Raila as a traitor, they now want Coast MPs to form their own leading party before the next general elections .photo Elkana Jacob

A Mijikenda lobby group chair has urged Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta to honour any deal he made with his counterpart Musalia Mudavadi on behalf of the Jubilee coalition or lose support.

Mijikenda Youth Forum chair Nyonga wa Makemba said Jubilee is doomed if it locks out UDF leader Mudavadi. Speaking at Bamburi yesterday, he said Uhuru and Eldoret North MP William Ruto had made the best move by bringing Mudavadi into the coalition but risk handing Cord an easy victory in the presidential contest if it pushes him aside.

"We are not engaging in hate speech but truth be told, if Jubilee is to win the March 4 polls they have no option but to have Mudavadi as their presidential flag bearer or else they will see themselves in the opposition," Makemba said.

Uhuru and Mudavadi have differed over the mode of nominating the coalition's flag bearer with the UDF leader claiming he has been shortchanged. Makemba said Uhuru is being held hostage by his TNA followers.

He said Jubilee will be isolated by many voters across the country if the Gatundu South MP is picked as the presidential aspirant. "The late Karisa Maitha stated clearly before his death that Kenya cannot be led successively by presidents from Central. That was a prophesy which will come to pass if TNA does not realise that as a fact. Let's have the presidency elsewhere now," Makmba said.

He added that the coalition's survival lies Mudavadi. "The Mijikenda believe going against a prescription by a deceased witchdoctor is costly because no one can undo what he did and this is the critical moment Maitha's sentiments will be irreversible as other communities are likely to rebel against Uhuru's candidature," he added.

About two months before his death in August 2004, Maitha caused a storm when he warned that the presidency might not go back to Central Kenya.