Raila Tosha! Kalonzo declares….Roho safi » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 12 – Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka has declared support for ODM leader Raila Odinga’s presidential candidature in the August election.

Kalonzo had vowed to go it alone all the way to the ballot but shelved his ambition Saturday after weeks of intense meetings that ended up convincing him to join Raila’s Azimio La Umoja coalition that brings together 21 political parties.

“I am saying today Raila Tosha roho safi,” Kalonzo told a rally at the Jacaranda grounds in Nairobi where he joined President Uhuru Kenyatta and Odinga and all other Azimio coalition partners who signed the pact at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC).

“I believe Odinga will not fail us and the ticket we have given him. I was honestly thinking Raila will say Kalonzo Tosha this time round. But with a clean heart, I am here to say Raila Tosha for the third time,” Kalonzo said.

Sources said Kalonzo, whose party is among 21 political parties that signed a declaration binding them to Azimio, was convinced at the last minute on Saturday morning.

He arrived at the KICC, the venue of the Azimio National Delegates Conference (NDC) in the company of President Uhuru Kenyatta after an intense meeting at State House.

“The talks have been going on since last week but the final agreement was reached this (Saturday) morning,” a source in his Wiper party said.

It is understood that Kalonzo had declined to join Azimio, until stark realities were placed before him on his prospects of winning the election were him to go it all alone.

“It was all clear, all scenarios were put to him for him to see and decide,” another source said, “and there were no chances and it was even worse if he joined an alternative coalition like Kenya Kwanza.”

It was not immediately clear what he was promised to get if Odinga gets the seat in the August election.

Kalonzo had earlier vowed to go all the way to the ballot, declaring, “I can’t back Raila again, I have done it twice and we had an agreement that I will be the presidential candidate in 2022.”