Nyeri town Member of Parliament Ngunjiri Wambugu has stated that if ODM leader Raila Odinga makes a mistake in choosing his running mate outside the vote rich Mt Kenya region, he intends to abandon him.
According to the vocal lawmaker, a vociferous leader within President Uhuru’s Jubilee Party, they are not aiming for anything less than the position of a Deputy President, and that the Mt Kenya area qualifies for the job of running mate based on their electorates.
He warned that if Raila Odinga chooses Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka as his second in command, the Azimio Presidential Candidate will fail.
“He [Kalonzo] has been Odinga’s running mate twice and they did not get to where they were going. It is difficult to imagine that if he becomes the running mate again, they will get to where they are going,” Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu said in a interview with a local daily.
His sentiments comes as Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga have been caught off guard as the electoral commission is adamant they have only 3 days to name running mates.
In an Interview with the Star, IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati revealed that they expect presidential candidates to name their deputies by April 28.
“We expect to know their running mates on the date when they submit names of the nominated candidates…either themselves as independent candidates or through the party, if a political party candidate, this being April 28,” Chebukati said.
This basically means Raila and Ruto have up to Thursday this week to name their seconds-in-command.
Seen as Raila’s potential running mates are Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, Equity Bank Group CEO James Mwangi and Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui.
In Kenya Kwanza, Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, Mathira MP Rigathi Gachangua and Kandara MP Alice Wahome are touted as likely Ruto running mates.
Garissa Township MP Aden Duale, a staunch Ruto ally, said they will comply with the timelines set by the IEBC.
“We know where to get our running mate. We have a list of potential running mates. We will pick one that will make the people of Kenya happy,” he said.
