Kalonzo throws spanner in hunt for Raila deputy

Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) party headed by former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka has engaged top gear in its quest to land the number two position in Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance.

It says it has suspended campaigns for the the Azimio presidential candidiate Raila Odinga until it gets the slot. The announcement, coming on the eve of the day a panel selected to vet short-listed running-mate candidates begins its work, will ruffle feathers. Instructively, the deadline for presidential aspirants to submit the names of their running-mates is May 16, hardly two weeks away.

To ensure former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka is handed the slot, his allies say they will pull their representative from the panel and that Kalonzo will not undergo vetting.

Yesterday, Kalonzo’s allies indicated that Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua would not be in the selection panel that is set to start interviewing candidates today.

In what signals a hardening of positions, Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, who is Azimio’s Executive Committee Secretary General, yesterday said that failure to appear before the selection panel would be deemed as withdrawal from the contest. 

Demeaning interview

Makueni MP Daniel Maanzo confirmed that Wiper Party has put on hold campaigns for Raila until the issue of the running mate is conclusively “made in our favour”.

Even as the selection panel begins its work tomorrow, Kalonzo’s troops have  threatened to ensure that their leader does not appear before it for any interview as that would be demeaning.

Instead, the foot sioldiers of the former Foreign Affairs minister want the seven-member selection panel dissolved and Kalonzo directly nominated by Raila as his running-mate in the August 9 General Election.

“Our stand remains the same. That no Kalonzo, no votes for Raila. We have also advised Kalonzo not to appear before the panel because there is nothing about the former Vice-President that Raila does not know,” Makueni MP Daniel Maanzo, a hardliner in the Wiper party, told the People Daily yesterday.

Maanzo added that the panel is a face-saving entity to hoodwink Kenyans that the exercise is transparent yet “the head-hunt is meant to rig out Kalonzo.”

“If anyone is still thinking that Kalonzo will take up any other position other than that of Deputy President, he or she is daydreaming. What matters at the moment are the two million votes that Raila will either get if he nominates Kalonzo, or will lose if he bypasses him,” Maanzo said.

Yesterday, Kalonzo, as if reading from the same script said his experience, standing in society, and performance are written in white and black.

“Everything is plain, so why should we waste time? If [Raila] Odinga takes me, he will be the next President of Kenya. I am a sure bet; there is no need to waste time,” he told People Daily. And last week, in an interview with a TV station, Kalonzo  said it is obvious he is the best choice for running mate, adding that he should not be asked to apply for the position.

Lose Ukambani votes

“If we were to tell each other the truth, and everyone in our team knows the right thing to do, I do not understand why anyone would ask me to apply for the position of running-mate. Did Raila apply to be the flag-bearer?” he posed. 

He stated that should Raila fail to pick him as the running-mate, he (Raila) would suffer a big blow as he would lose the majority of votes from Ukambani.

The seven-member panel comprises Ms Elizabeth Meyo, Bishop Peter Njenga, Archbishop (Rtd) Zaccheus Okoth, Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua, Narc Kenya Secretary General Michael Orwa, former Cabinet minister Noah Wekesa, Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya Organising Secretary Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa and Ms Beatrice Askul Moe from Turkana County. An itinerary of the panel indicates that members are to converge at Serena Hotel at 8am today. They will then be driven to an undisclosed venue.

The agenda of today’s meeting, according to the itinerary, is to set the terms of reference, agree on the deadline, elect the chairman, secretary and other officials, and agree on the modalities and procedures of carrying out their mandate.

Though the panel has outlined the requisite qualifications, insiders in Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition say the position is likely to be given to a person from Mt Kenya region, with former Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Martha Karua, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe and his Agriculture counterpart Peter Munya being the front runners.

While the Kalonzo camp has been pushing for him to be nominated, sources say some leaders in Azimio are not comfortable with the Wiper leader. They cite his continuous threats and intimidations, flip-flopping and a need to win the support of Mt Kenya region.

Those in support of Karua say she is firm against corruption, reformist-leaning, straight forward and authentic. Other qualities include a good working relationship with Raila and President Uhuru Kenyatta, as well as honesty and integrity.

But some allies of Uhuru are said to have  misgivings on Karua for accommodating losers from Jubilee’s nominations in her Narc Kenya outfit.

Accusations against her have also emerged that she isolated Jubilee honchos in Central Kenya in Raila’s tour of Kirinyaga on Sunday and Monday.

Those fronting for new entrant Kagwe say he is a reformist who is not afraid of daunting tasks, an example being the restructuring he launched at Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa) and at National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF). Kagwe is also good at mobilisation of national and international support for critical areas, like he did in the fight against Covid-19.

Other names being mentioned for the position are former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui, Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and Kieni MP Kanini Kega.

Inconsequential threats

Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu says the prerogative to choose the running mate lies with Raila and nobody should try to coerce him. “At the end of the day, the responsibility will remain in Raila’s hands. So, all these threats, intimidations and lobbying are inconsequential. Nobody can force Raila to work with somebody he is not comfortable with,” he says.

In a statement on Sunday, the panel outlined the qualifications for the candidates, that included fidelity to the Constitution, personal integrity in public and private life, objectivity and impartiality in decision making. The candidate should also shun nepotism, favouritism, improper motives and corruption. Other attributes include selfless service, public trust, honesty in execution of public duties and declaration of any personal interest that may conflict with public duties.

The statement signed by Ms Meyo said the panel has up to May 10, 2022, to finish its work and submit the shortlisted nominee to Raila for consideration. “Thereafter, the successful candidate shall be unveiled to the public by Raila,” she said.