NAIROBI, Kenya, May 16 — Top ranking Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance Coalition Party officials arrived at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Monday morning as the outfit readied to unveil Raila Odinga’s running mate in the August 9 presidential election.
Officials seen at the convention center included Raphael Tuju, Azimio’s Executive Director.
Former Constitutional Affairs Minister Martha Karua and Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya were among shortlisted nominees present.
It however remained unclear if Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka who has deputized Raila twice before would show up after it emerged Azimio officials may fail to pick him and opt for a candidate from the vote-rich Mt Kenya region.
Karua was one of the leading nominees for the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya running mate slot for Odinga.
Sources intimated that Odinga will unveil Karua as the candidate to deputize him in the joint presidential ticket.
When he spoke at the Kamukunji grounds in Nairobi on Sunday where he addressed a mega rally attended by thousands of supporters as well as dozens of political leaders, the Azimio candidate said he would unveil is pick even as he shied away from giving a hint on who it would be.
During the rally, female leaders led by Millie Odhiambo, Esther Passaris, and former Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki urged Raila to consider naming a woman to deputize him.
“Please make sure you give us somebody with a reform agenda, and for us women, we have been promised that seat for a long time, let it be a woman,” Odhiambo pleaded.
Raila was expected to name his running mate since Saturday ahead of Monday’s deadline set by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
His main competitor Deputy President William Ruto picked Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua to be his running mate in the August 9 presidential election, in what Azimio leaders laughed off as a “big joke.”
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna said: “Kenya can not be governed by the pair of William Ruto and Gachagua, Kenyans will make the right choice in the election and elect Raila Amolo Odinga.”
