Inside Politics

Kalonzo Musyoka going to court is a bargaining strategy – Dan Maanzo

Monday, May 16th, 2022 11:51 | By
Ruto visit was to spite Raila -Dan Maanzo
Makueni Senator-Daniel Maanzo. PHOTO/Courtesy

Makueni Member of Parliament Dan Maanzo now says Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka is using the court system to bargain for his space in Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition.

Speaking to a local television on Monday morning, Maanzo said the Wiper party was concerned because it was getting a "raw" deal in Azimio.

"Kenyans know very well that if Raila Odinga wants to be president of Kenya, he must work with Kalonzo Musyoka. But because of the way Kalonzo is being treated by the Azimio partners, it shows he is not the candidate for the running mate position," he said.

Maanzo on Sunday said the party leadership met on Saturday and agreed to withdraw from Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition after talks to have Kalonzo deputise Raila Odinga failed.

"We have been negotiating for days now but Raila Odinga appears to be rigid and we have no options other than part ways," Maanzo said after a church service in Wote on Sunday.

Wiper leader skips Azimio rally

The new development comes hours after Kalonzo skipped Raila's Azimio mega rally at Kamukunji, Nairobi.

According to Maanzo, Raila's move to pick a running mate from Mount Kenya will not yield him many votes.

"Azimio has no votes in central Kenya. Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta reconsider their thinking and if not, Odinga has lost," the MP said.

The running mate selection panel for Azimio has already submitted three names to Raila who impressed during the vetting process.

Raila Odinga.
Raila Odinga. PHOTO/Courtesy

In the list of Raila’s possible running, mates are Kalonzo, Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua, former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, and Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Wanjiru Chege.

Others who were interviewed by the selection panel are Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Agricultural CS Peter Munya, two-term Mombasa governor Hassan Joho and former Kenyan Ambassador to Australia Stephen Tarus.

The committee of eminent persons chaired by former Cabinet Minister Noah Wekesa locked out 13 applicants after it established that they were not fronted by Azimio One Kenya Coalition constituent parties.

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