Kenyans are on high alert, waiting for top presidential candidates to announce their running mates to meet the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) May 16 deadline.
Azimio-One Kenya Alliance flagbearer and Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will choose from 3 names recommended to him by a panel of respected public figures, who vetted more than ten candidates.
While the panel did not disclose the finalists’ names, Kenyans are speculating that NARC-Kenya leader Martha Karua, former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka made the final list.
Deputy President William Ruto, Kenya Kwanza’s flag bearer, is hosting a meeting with supporters at his official Deputy President residence in Karen, Nairobi, to unveil his choice. Ruto is expected to choose a man from Mt. Kenya. Such a choice would reward the vote-rich region and consolidate his grip on the support he’s currently enjoying in the area.
NARC-KENYA LEADER MARTHA KARUA AND ANC LEADER MUSALI MUDAVADI HAVE TOPPED MULTIPLE OPINION POLLS FOR MOST PREFERRED DP CHOICES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COALITIONS
Earlier this week, Kenya Kwanza published its coalition agreement that revealed former Vice President Musalia Mudavadi may have settled for a not-yet-created prime minister position if Ruto won the presidency.
Critics have called Ruto, a hypocrite because of the move to create positions to appease his coalition partners. They have accused him of attempting to revive Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) from the backdoor for his benefit while he opposed it for more than 5 years.
Opinion polls have consistently shown Mudavadi as the most preferred running mate to Ruto. Failure to choose Mudavadi might present an opportunity for Odinga to sweep Western Kenya, telling them Ruto cannot be trusted to keep his promises.
In the agreement, Ruto’s UDA will field both President and Deputy President, while other coalition partners will share different government positions.
Speculators are guessing Ruto would choose either Mathira MP and loyal foot soldier Rigathi Gachagua or Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki.
However, the two choices would be risky because they lack a national stature similar to that of Mudavadi and might only be helpful to Ruto in the Mt. Kenya region.
Ruto has other options. He has at least two women he could choose; Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru and Kandara MP Alice Wahome, both from the Mt. Kenya region.
Ruto could also choose the National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, a high-profile personality with national name recognition.
For Odinga, the selection of a running mate would bring an end to a messy process in Azimio where some candidates openly campaigned for the position issuing ultimatums.
Musyoka and his surrogates have warned Odinga that failing to choose Musyoka, “kitaumana,” leading to his defeat in the Eastern region and the general election.
While Karua has constantly emerged as the favorite to be Odinga’s running mate, Musyoka and his surrogates have argued that having deputized Odinga twice in the past and delivered the Kamba vote, he should be a natural choice.
But the entry of the Mt. Kenya region as a swing vote, thanks to Central Kenya lacking a top-tier candidate in the presidential race, has complicated things.
The stars lined up for Odinga when President Uhuru Kenyatta threw his support behind him. Now Odinga is looking at the possibility of harvesting a substantial number of votes from the area.
With Kenyatta, Karua, Muranga Woman’s Rep Sabina Chege, among other Mt. Kenya leaders throwing their full support behind Odinga, his dry spell from the past four elections might turn into a downpour of votes on his 5th attempt at becoming Kenya’s president.
Odinga, too, has many choices. He could choose Chege, Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, and make history as the first top-tier candidate to select a woman for the number-two position on the land.
Odinga adopted the US Vice Presidential vetting style, but at the end of the day, the final decision of a running mate would be his. A running mate choice is considered an essential move as it is the first executive appointment a candidate makes.
It shows and tells supporters the candidate’s priorities. If Odinga chooses Karua, it will signal his administration will focus on fighting corruption and providing services to Kenyans. Karua has been an ardent anti-corruption force throughout her political career.
Corruption ranks the top as the most significant problem undermining Kenya’s progress.
Tick Tock.