Wiper party leaders want Kalonzo named as Raila’s running mate

The Wiper party is now raising the stakes in its push to have its leader Kalonzo Musyoka to deputize Raila Odinga in the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya party.

Kalonzo's lieutenants say the Wiper leader is the most experienced politician, and having ceded his presidential quest, a running mate post will be the only ideal position.

This as fringe parties within the Azimio claim that they were sidelined in the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya party and demand withdrawal and renegotiation of the coalition agreement.

“Tunamwambia Raila ya kwamba sisi hapa tumeamua kwamba deputy president ni Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka,” said Wiper Secretary General Shakila Abdalla.

Former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko stated: “Yeye ndio angestahili kuwa rais wa tano wa jamhuri ya Kenya, lakini kwa sababu Kalonzo amechukulia Kenya kubwa kushinda yeye, amekubali kuwa running mate wa Raila Odinga.”

The leaders described Kalonzo as a seasoned politician with unmatched pedigree in leadership.

Siyat Mohammed, a Wiper party aspirant in Wajir, said: “We believe he has, among all these resumes on the table besides Raila Odinga, the most pedigree and experience both governmentally and institutionally. He brings tremendous amount of institutional and administrative experience. So we believe if our party leader has conceded the presidency, the next best place for him to land is the deputy president.”

Taking cue from his lieutenants, the Wiper party leader was bullish about being the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party running mate.

“This other matter about who is running mate should not worry you, there are some things that are obvious. I said I’m going to support Raila Odinga, na wale wananijua, mimi sirudi nyuma.  Nitamwitishia Raila kura like I’ve never done before,” he said.

Meanwhile, differences are emerging within the Azimio One Kenya alliance, as some parties including Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap, Kivutha Kibwana’s Muungano Party, DAP-K,  Charity Ngilu’s NARC among five other parties calling themselves ‘Mwanzo Mpya’ have disowned the coalition agreement.

The parties want the agreement recalled and renegotiated claiming they were sidelined in revision of the agreement to include the Wiper leader.

“In the document they’re forming a leadership head of just Jubilee, ODM and Wiper and then they’re the ones to decide for the rest of us where we will fit and we are not in agreement to that,” said Governor Mutua.

DAP-K Secretary General Eseli Simiyu on his part said; “That document needs to be renegotiated to ensure that our interests are taken care of as the fourth leg of the coalition.”