Andrew Ole Sunkuli: Kalonzo Musyoka asked me to put Kenya before my ambitions

Andrew Leteipa Ole Sunkuli has opened up about the hours that preceded his announcement as Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s running mate in the August presidential elections.

Kalonzo recently ditched Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party and handpicked Sunkuli to deputise him in his presidential bid after missing out on the Raila Odinga-led camp’s running mate slot which was handed to NARC Kenya leader Martha Karua.

The perceived Ukambani kingpin indicated that he decided to jump ship after being shortchanged in Azimio where he hoped to be picked as Odinga’s running mate.

According to Sunkuli, it was on the evening of May 14, 2022 and he had just arrived in Nairobi from Narok County where he was drumming up support for his Senatorial bid to oust the incumbent Ledama ole Kina.

Owing to his busy schedule in Narok and travel from the South Rift Valley-bordering county, Sunkuli arrived at his home feeling tired, opting to get some rest and recover.

“I decided I was going to rest so I switched off my phones completely. I wanted three hours of no interruption. When I woke up, I freshened up a bit and switched on my phone where I met so many missed calls from my friends,” said Sunkuli on Citizen TV’s NewsNight show on Tuesday.

Sunkuli’s wife was able to reach him after he switched on his phone and informed him that Kalonzo was looking for him.

“To the best of my knowledge, I had no outstanding business with Kalonzo. I was actually going to host him in Narok on May 16, 2022, so at first I thought he wanted to make changes to the program,” said Sunkuli.

He thereafter decided to seek out Kalonzo at his office but was informed that the Wiper boss had left, so he opted to visit the former Vice President’s Nairobi residence where, as luck would have it, he found him waiting.

“We had a cup of tea and after the usual pleasantries he broke the news to me. I have to admit that there was a split second of silence in the room and then I asked if he was being serious to which he responded and said that he was,” Sunkuli said.

Having already started his Senatorial campaigns in Narok, Sunkuli was taken aback, asking Kalonzo what the move meant for his presidential bid.

“He told me a time comes where you have to choose between a job and the country, and he asked me what I would chose first; and without hesitation I said I would chose Kenya any time,” he said.