Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga finally announced NARC-Kenya leader Martha Karua as his running mate, a move that has elicited mixed reactions and sparked ripple effects in the Azimio la Umoja coalition.
The announcement happened in the highly charged Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) in Nairobi on Monday afternoon, ending speculation from within and without the Azimio coalition.
While the ODM Party leader was reading his speech at KICC, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, an Azimio Co-Principal, announced the end of the ties between him and Raila. He summarily announced that he would seek the presidency via the One Kenya Alliance.
Meanwhile, jubilation and cheers emanating from the KICC greeted Nairobi, Kirinyaga, and other Azimio la Umoja strongholds, soon after Karua was announced to be Odinga’s running mate.
Recalling the 2017 presidential election in his speech, Odinga said he needed a real Joshua who would help him guide Kenyans to the promised land.
“I needed a true Joshua on my corner, one who will not be a turncoat. After a long search and reflection, together with consultation, I have arrived at the decision that the holder of this position must be a woman,” Odinga said.
He named the Narc-Kenya party leader his running mate, setting the stage for Kenya to have its first woman deputy president should the pair win the August polls.
Karua took the nomination with pride, saying that the women’s moment had come for Kenya at last.
“We have found ourselves on the right side of the history. We are responding to a higher calling,” Karua said.
“Picking a deputy president designate is the hardest decision any President can make. I am deeply honored by the nomination. It is a collective honor, a journey for the nation, women, and girls… a journey of diligence,” Karua said.
In her acceptance speech, Karua went down the annals of the history of Kenya and recounted the role that she had played with Raila in shaping democracy and justice in the country. She said that Azimio la Umoja is the right side for the country and called upon Kenyans to vote for Odinga in the forthcoming elections slated for August 9th.
“We have found ourselves on the right side of the history. We are responding to a higher calling,” Karua said.
In Karen, Kalonzo unveiled a little-known Andrew Sunkuli as his running mate. Interestingly, in Odinga’s shadow cabinet, Kalonzo Musyoka was given the chief minister slot.
“I wish Raila’s running mate Martha Karua well. We have agreed to go our separate ways. I told Raila the decision to pick Karua will be met with a lot of opposition. OKA will be alone, and very soon, Wiper will be launching its own manifesto,” Kalonzo said.
Seeming to be privy to the choice of Raila’s preferred choice for a number two, Kalonzo had last evening sent out invitations to the media and his allies for an “important announcement” on Monday at 11 am, the time when Raila had planned to announce his running mate.
Shortly after Raila announced Karua as his preferred choice, the man from Mwingi’s Tseikuru released the news.
THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT
Andrew Leteipa Sunkuli is my Deputy Presidential candidate,” Kalonzo wrote on his Twitter account.
He justified his change of mind from his earlier proclamation of “Raila Tosha,” saying a lot had happened, and he had to chart his way.
“I declared in Jacaranda Grounds my support for Mr. Odinga for the third time. But since then, a lot of things have happened,” Kalonzo said.
Meanwhile, Musyoka’s running mate accepted the offer, saying that the time for the pastoralist community had come through the Wiper Party.
“When he (Musyoka) told me I was going to be his running mate, I thought he meant we would be jogging together…Then it came to me what he meant. Today, I accept to be his running mate,” Sunkuli said.
Interestingly, Gideon Moi, the Baringo Senator and KANU party leader attended Odinga’s and Kalonzo’s functions. Nick Salat, KANU’s secretary general, was more definite about his decision and perhaps KANU’s.
“Being indecisive is a very bad thing…count KANU inside Azimio la Umoja; this is the winning team,” Salat said.
REACTION ACROSS KENYA
Meanwhile, various leaders and politicians reacted to Odinga’s pick for a running mate. Nelson Havi, the immediate former president of the Law Society of Kenya and MP aspirant for Westlands Constituency, who is DP Ruto’s ally, praised the selection of Odinga.
“Martha Karua SC will effectively deputize H E Raila Odinga in Government or in the Opposition. She is level-headed with well-calibrated political calipers for precision in decision-making. Baba should not succumb to the caprice and treachery of Kalonzo Musyoka any longer. Finito!” Havi said.
Sabina Chege, the Women Representative for Murang’a, who was also in the race to be Raila’s running mate, thanked Ida Odinga, Raila Odinga’s wife, for her role in Martha Karua’s selection.
“This is not Martha Karua’s win but the win for all the women of Kenya. Today we celebrate Mama Ida, and we know that it’s through Mama Ida’s confidence that she has given Raila as a woman that he has trusted women in leadership,” Chege said.
Aden Duale, the MP for Garissa Town, took a jibe at Odinga for failing to manage his former co-principals.
“Raila has finally lost all his NASA/CORD co-principals; because they can never trust him. No Kalonzo, no Mudavadi, no Wetangula. So, where are the votes? Game over!” Duale tweeted.
Musalia Mudavadi, the party leader of the Amani National Congress (ANC), also laughed at Azimio la Umoja following Kalonzo’s exit.
“The Azimio remote-controlled presidential candidate unveils his running mate and Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka bolts out as President Uhuru goes underground! A house built on sinking sand crumbles! Azimio in a nutshell,” Mudavadi said.
If elected, Karua will be the first Kenyan woman to hold the number 2 position in the nation’s leadership. She brings strong anti-corruption credentials to the table.
The Azimio ticket now has to convince Kenyans that corruption is the root cause of the nation’s economic challenges.