Kalonzo bolts out of Azimio over Karua running mate choice

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has announced his departure from the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party after Raila Odinga settled on Martha Karua as his running mate.

Kalonzo said that he and Raila had agreed to go their separate ways and he opted to go it alone in the August presidential polls. He named 2013 Wiper Narok senatorial aspirant Mr Andrew Sunkuli as his running mate.

"We have agreed to go our separate ways or the sake of this country. It is never too late to come back home," Mr Musyoka said.

"I declared in Jacaranda Grounds my support for Mr Odinga for the third time. But since then a lot of things have happened," he added.

While accepting his nomination as Mr Kalonzo's running mate, he said that: "It is a weird election as I received a call from Kalonzo while campaigning for myself and Raila. When he told me I was going to be his running mate, I thought we will be going on morning runs together.

"With all humility, I accept to be the running mate of the Wiper party presidential candidate," Mr Sunkuli said.

Wiper party leaders had kept off the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya running mate unveiling event at KICC amid threats by the party to pull out of the coalition and go it alone over the running mate impasse.

Kanu leader Gideon Moi had also arrived at KICC at around 11.12am on Monday for the Azimio running mate unveiling event only to leave and be spotted at Mr Musyoka's SKM centre in Karen about an hour later.

Mr Moi had proposed Mr Musyoka as Mr Odinga’s running mate, but recent protests by Wiper leaders including threats to exit the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party suggests things may not be going the former vice president’s way.

Wiper party last evening sent out invitations to its legislators for a morning meeting at the SKM Command Centre from where it’s party leader was to make an announcement.

“You are invited by our party leader His Excellency Hon Kalonzo Musyoka to the SKM command center today morning 16th May, 2022 at 11am for an extremely important announcement. Please purpose to come,” the invite sent by Robert Mbui, Wipers National Organizing Secretary read in part.

The move came as the party threatened to head to the High Court to seek to disband Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Political Party and rekindle Kalonzo’s presidential bid, according to one of his lawyers and Makueni MP Daniel Maanzo.