It’s a make-or-break moment for the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party as the process to pick the coalition’s presidential running mate kicks off today.
Already, the Kalonzo Musyoka led Wiper party leadership is insisting that he will not appear before the seven-member team set up to pick Raila Odinga’s running mate.
According to Kalonzo and his allies, appearing before the panel will be “demeaning to his stature”
Makueni member of Parliament Dan Maanzo says they will not allow their leader to appear before the panel because it is unnecessary.
“If Kalanzo is not picked as the running mate, then Raila should forget about Ukambani region votes,” said Maanzo
Maanzo who also serves as Wiper’s deputy secretary general insists that there is no “better candidate” to be Raila Odinga’s running mate other than Kalonzo.
“How do you ask someone who served as Vice-president and who has on two occasions been Raila’s running mate to appear before individuals below his stature for interviews?’’ posed Maanzo
On his part, Kalonzo says he will distance himself from the process being conducted by the panel to “protect his stature”
The former Vice President is accusing top Azimio la Umoja leadership of engaging in “an unnecessarily circuitous process meant to achieve nothing much”.
The seven-member panel is today(Wednesday) expected to kick off the process of interviewing prospective candidates to be considered for the running mate position
Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo-Junior said he is ready to provide the panel with books talking about Mr Musyoka instead of subjecting him to unnecessary interview processes
Kathiani MP Robert Mbui noted it will only be prudent for the coalition to consider Kalonzo for the running mate position since he has a solid voting block behind him
The team comprising of Bishop Peter Njenga, Archbishop Zacchaeus Okoth, Senator Enoch Wambua, Michael Orwa, Dr Noah Wekesa, Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa and Beatrice Askul Moe is expected to submit the name of the individual to be considered as Mr Odinga’s running mate to the Azimio council by May 10.
IEBC has set May 16 as the deadline for presidential candidates to submit the names of their running mates .
Other notable individuals expected to appear before the panel include NARC-Kenya leader Martha Karua, Agriculture CS Peter Munya, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth
The Wiper party says it has halted engaging in Azimo La Umoja-One Kenya campaigns until a decision on who will be the running mate is made.
The party insists that its options are still open should Mr Musyoka not be picked as Odinga’s running mate.
On the other side, the DP William Ruto Kenya Kwanza led brigade is hoping to reap from the possible Azimio fallout in the event Kalonzo is not picked as the Azimio running mate.
Kenya Kwanza leaders have been asking Kalonzo to join them over what they term as “disrespect” in Azimio.