Sunkuli ready to support Kalonzo-Raila reunion
Andrew Leteipa Ole Sunkuli, the Wiper presidential running mate, has downplayed claims of pressure for Kalonzo Musyoka to return to Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition party.
Speaking on Citizen TV's News Night show on Tuesday, Sunkuli indicated that a recent meeting by the party was to address issues touching on aspirants and not about Kalonzo.
He denied claims that 45 out of 50 leaders voted in favour of a motion to push the Wiper boss to return to the Raila Odinga led coalition despite an alleged falling out with the former premier.
Sunkuli unveiled as Kalonzo's running mate
Kalonzo ditched the Azimio camp Monday last week after missing out on the presidential running mate slot.
The former Vice President launched his presidential bid on the same day. He unveiled Sunkuli as his running mate as Raila named Martha Karua as his deputy at a different function held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
However, amid the intrigues, Sunkuli on Tuesday said that he will support Kalonzo if he chooses to reunite with Raila ahead of the polls slated for August 9,
He noted that the alleged rift between the two leaders is political and not personal and as such Kenyans shouldn't rule out the possibility of the duo working together.
“They had a political disagreement over what many assumed was the running mate position but first of all these people are friends. They have a political issue that probably needs to be ironed out but even before he (Kalonzo) left for abroad he warned me and other Wiper leaders against bad mouthing Raila,” he said.
“If he (Kalonzo) decides to choose the country and work with Odinga, I will do the same to support his decision but that is not where we are at the moment. Right now we are in the race.”
Kalonzo left the country on Friday for a one-week tour of the United Kingdom.
Wiper meeting
Kalonzo’s decision to jump out of Azimio and go it alone jolted members of his party, especially aspirants for various seats who had already invested their energies and resources to campaign for themselves and for Raila under the Azimio umbrella.
Some, like Wavinya Ndeti who is eyeing the Machakos governor seat, have complained that they had invested in branding their campaign materials with the Azimio colours and slogans, and had been left in a quandary.
Dispute resolution
On Monday, about 100 Wiper-allied leaders - both elected and aspirants for various positions - mandated Kalonzo to evoke the dispute resolution mechanisms under the Azimio-One Kenya agreement to solve the stalemate, with a view to getting Kalonzo back in the coalition.
“As leaders, we have agreed our country is greater than Wiper itself and because we had already agreed to work with Azimio-One Kenya Alliance, maybe it is time that we exhaust all the options that are available under the alliance,” said Kathiani MP Robert Mbui; Wiper’s national organising secretary, in a press briefing at Monday’s talks in Machakos.
“Because there is a dispute resolution mechanism under that alliance, we are asking our party leader to reconsider the possibility of having further discussions on this coalition agreement," he added.
Chief Minister
He has been promised the Prime Cabinet Secretary position if Azimio wins the presidency in August.
However, the Wiper leaders lamented that Kalonzo had not been informed of any position to be given to him in Azimio and he only learned about it from the media when the Azimio presidential nominee, Raila, announced that Kalonzo would be considered for Chief CS if Azimio won.
