Why Kalonzo wants his allies to stop campaigning for him to be Raila’s running mate
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has urged his allies to stop publicly campaigning for him to be ODM leader Raila Odinga running in the August general election, arguing that too much campaigns may reduce his chances of getting selected.
Musyoka expressed optimism that he is the best suited candidate to be Raila’s deputy, adding that when the panel examines all potential lineups, they’ll see that an Odinga-Kalonzo team is the most likely to win.
In view of the above, he urged his allies to tone down, arguing that key factors are in their favour, therefore there’s no need to publicly push for his consideration.
"Stop talking about the selection of Mr Odinga’s deputy president position in public as this may portray us as weak. Let us keep quiet and watch how they approach the selection of the deputy president and pray.
“Everything is plain so why should we waste time? People know that when Raila takes the Wiper team on board, he will be the next President of Kenya. But there is a problem when Raila leaves Kalonzo,” he was quoted by Nation.
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File image of Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his ODM counterpart Raila Odinga. [Photo: Courtesy][/caption]Kalonzo is among leaders being considered for the Azimio running mate slot alongside others that include; Narc Kenya leader, Martha Karua, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, and former Gatanga MP, Peter Kenneth among others.
Over the past few weeks, Kalonzo's allies led by Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua and his Makueni counterpart Mutula Kilonzo Jr have been traversing different part of the country campaigning for Musyoka to be named Odinga's running mate.
Meanwhile, presidential candidates are expected to name their running mates by April 28, 2022 after IEBC declined an extension application made by the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition.
"It must be appreciated that election is a process and not an event as was elaborated by the Supreme Court at paragraph 224 of its judgment in Raila Amolo Odinga & another vs Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission & 4 others & Attorney General & another. Pursuant to the foregoing, it is worth noting that nomination forms an integral part of the election process," IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said in a a letter to Azimio coalition.
While declining to extend the deadline, Chebukati argued that the nominations of a running mate cannot be separated from the nomination of presidential candidates by political parties, therefore, since parties already have their presidential candidates, they should also have a running mate.
"If a person is nominated as a candidate for Deputy President outside party primaries having not gone through the nomination process with the presidential candidate, that person does not qualify to be nominated as a candidate for Deputy President for non-compliance with Article 99(1)(c) and Article 137(1)(c).
"The nomination of a candidate for President and Deputy President is conjoined and the process respecting the nomination of the two cannot be divorced from each other," IEBC explained.
File image of Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his ODM counterpart Raila Odinga. [Photo: Courtesy][/caption]Kalonzo is among leaders being considered for the Azimio running mate slot alongside others that include; Narc Kenya leader, Martha Karua, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, and former Gatanga MP, Peter Kenneth among others.
Over the past few weeks, Kalonzo's allies led by Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua and his Makueni counterpart Mutula Kilonzo Jr have been traversing different part of the country campaigning for Musyoka to be named Odinga's running mate.
Meanwhile, presidential candidates are expected to name their running mates by April 28, 2022 after IEBC declined an extension application made by the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition.
"It must be appreciated that election is a process and not an event as was elaborated by the Supreme Court at paragraph 224 of its judgment in Raila Amolo Odinga & another vs Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission & 4 others & Attorney General & another. Pursuant to the foregoing, it is worth noting that nomination forms an integral part of the election process," IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said in a a letter to Azimio coalition.
While declining to extend the deadline, Chebukati argued that the nominations of a running mate cannot be separated from the nomination of presidential candidates by political parties, therefore, since parties already have their presidential candidates, they should also have a running mate.
"If a person is nominated as a candidate for Deputy President outside party primaries having not gone through the nomination process with the presidential candidate, that person does not qualify to be nominated as a candidate for Deputy President for non-compliance with Article 99(1)(c) and Article 137(1)(c).
"The nomination of a candidate for President and Deputy President is conjoined and the process respecting the nomination of the two cannot be divorced from each other," IEBC explained. What's Your Reaction?
