Three more names have been added to the list of nominees being considered as possible running mates for Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya presidential flag bearer Raila Odinga.
Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, his Nakuru counterpart Lee Kinyanjui and Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya were on Saturday included amid resignation threats from the panel by Senator Enock Wambua, an ally of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
Peter Munya, Wycliffe Oparanya and Lee Kinyanjui added to Raila running mate shortlist
They join Mr Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper Party), Sabina Chege and Peter Kenneth both nominated by Jubilee of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Martha Wangari Karua (Narc Kenya), Kanu boss Gideon Moi and Ali Hassan Joho (ODM) in the battle for number two position.
The panel vetting running mate candidates for Mr Odinga said the three were erroneously omitted due to failure by the campaign secretariat to forward their names to the seven-member panel.
From left: Gideon Moi, Peter Kenneth, Sabina Chege and Hassan Joho.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The former Cabinet minister Noah Wekesa-led panel announced that it will conduct interviews on Monday and Tuesday. After the interviews, the panel will pick the best three candidates whose names they will submit to Mr Odinga.
“The panel received various complaints from nominating constituent parties who said that their applications had not been considered and their candidates had been unfairly locked out,” Mr Wekesa said.
“Upon inquiry into this matter this morning, the panel has established that there were applications that had been submitted to the campaign secretariat and but unfortunately had not been forwarded to the panel as no such communication had been anticipated,” he added in a statement.
Mr Wambua specifically protested inclusion of Governor Charity Ngilu . The first list that was released by the panel on Friday did not have Ms Ngilu’s name but it was quickly added the same evening to the initial seven names.
Mr Wambua accused ODM Raila Odinga of interfering with the work of the seven-member panel that is tasked with picking his presidential running mate for the August 9 polls.
He took issue with the inclusion of Governor Ngilu, terming it an afterthought and an indication that the panel was not independent.
He claimed that it was becoming apparent that the outcome was predetermined and threatened to resign from the panel.
One Kenya Alliance (OKA) principals, Martha Karua of Narc Kenya and Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka at a political rally at Kadongo grounds in Mombasa County on February 20, 2022.
Photo credit: Wachira Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Speaking at Kyondoni AIC grounds during the launch of his bid to recapture the seat, Mr Wambua disclosed that by Friday, the panel had settled on seven names that were made public, adding that he was shocked by the shortlisting of Ms Ngilu.
"As a member of that panel picking the Azimio One Kenya presidential running mate, I take great exception in the manner in which the panel is conducting its business. On Friday, we unanimously shortlisted seven candidates. We cannot add an extra name," he said.
He added, “I can neither be bought nor compromised. If some people want to use us to rubber stamp a predetermined decision, then I will quit. If Kalonzo will not be the running mate, then Raila won't be the president. It is that simple.”
Earlier in the day, the Party of National Unity associated with Agriculture CS Munya protested against the exclusion of his name.
“PNU duly submitted its application and forwarded the name of Hon Peter Gatirau Munya for consideration. We are, however, yet to be told why he was not shortlisted yet PNU is a constituent party of Azimio la Umoja,” said PNU secretary-general John Okemwa Anunda.
Some parties had disowned certain names submitted as being fronted by the outfits, forcing the panel to convene a crisis meeting on Friday morning.
It emerged that some of the names were forwarded to the panel without the knowledge of the submitting parties. In a statement on Friday, the Dr Wekesa-led team said the panel received a total of 20 applications.
But the rest of the applications were not considered as they had not been submitted by the constituent political parties.
Reports by Moses Nyamori, Ndubi Moturi and Pius Maundu
