Azimio says no cracks in running mate selection panel » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya May 8 – Azimio Secretary General Junet Mohamed has allayed fears of division within the selection committee set to pick the running mate for the coalition’s flagbearer Raila Odinga.

Mohamed insisted that the selection panel chaired by Noah Wekesa was well on course preparing for to engage the 11 shortlisted candidates for the post.

“As far as am concerned everything is ongoing smoothly, I have not seen any fallouts within the selection panel. Just know when there is a fallout, we know how to deal with it  but as of now no member of the committee has reported anything,” said Mohamed.

Talks of fallouts had emerged yesterday after Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua threatened to quit the team while on a campaign tour in Kitui West.

Of contention is the act of the 7 member selection panel to include the name  of Kitui governor Charity Ngilu’s who he says it was sneaked on the initial  shortlist of seven candidates. 

“What the presidential candidates asked the panel to do is to get him a suitable deputy who will help him win the elections not considering friendship, emotions activism, which will not help in winning election,” Wambua said.

The Senator who is representing Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka in the panel insisted that he would rather resign than participate in an initiative aimed at rubber stamping victory of some individuals.

“If I interrogate the panel and establish that we have just been put there to rubber-stamp a pre-determined decision that is not good and suitable, take it from me, I as Enoch Kiio Wambua I will easily resign from the outfit,” said Wambua.

The Azimio Secretary general however maintained that all is well and there is no room for creating unfounded debates over fallouts within the seven member panel.

“The committee will speak for itself and they will share what they have with Kenyans.I cannot speak for Senator Wambua or anyone else within the committee,”said Mohammed.

The Azimio running mate selection committee will on Monday and Tuesday engage candidates shortlisted to deputize the coalition’s flagbearer Raila Odinga.

The Chairperson of the selection committee Noah Wekesa revealed that the panel has already decided on the criteria and the modalities of arriving at the suitable candidate.

Wekesa stated this as he added the names of Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya include deputy ODM leader Wycliffe Oparanya and Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui to the shortlist bringing the candidates to eleven.

The seven other leaders who were shortlisted include Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc Kenya’s Martha Karua and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho.

Others are Murang’a Women Representative Sabina Chege, former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, KANU Chairman Senator Gideon Moi and former Kenyan Ambassador to Australia Stephen Tarus.