Raila drops zoning, agrees to talks on his running mate

Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition presidential hopeful Raila Odinga Thursday made a U-turn on plans to zone the country following protests by affiliate parties.

He also agreed on consultations in the choice of a running mate, which had largely been made a preserve of Mt Kenya and the ODM leader’s 2013 and 2017 running mate, Kalonzo Musyoka.

The small parties had said that zoning would have made them suffer at the expense of the three major coalition partners — Jubilee, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Wiper.

Leave casualties

Mr Odinga made the retreat after a meeting with Azimio partner party leaders and representatives at his campaign headquarters in Lavington, Nairobi.

Zoning the country was likely to leave casualties, with affiliate parties in the coalition bearing the brunt of the effects.

The coalition party brings together more than 20 political parties, including President Kenyatta’s Jubilee, Mr Odinga’s ODM and Musyoka’s Wiper.

Former Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju, who was named as the Executive Director of Azimio Secretariat, would take charge of the zoning.

Mr Odinga’s presidential campaign spokesman Makau Mutua yesterday said the ODM leader met the bosses of the affiliate parties “to foster the interests of our political movement and clarify a number of issues”.

Abandon zoning

Prof Mutua said abandoning of zoning was among the resolutions made from the meeting attended by Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu (Narc), her Machakos colleague Alfred Mutua (Maendeleo Chap Chap – MCC) and Makueni’s Kivutha Kibwana (Muungano) as well as representatives of other parties.

“There will be no zoning of the country for any political party. The talks touched on inclusivity, equity and consultation, all aimed at guiding and anchoring our coalition party ahead of the August elections,” Prof Mutua said.

The meeting also resolved that the issue of the running mate would be decided in consultation with partner parties “at the appropriate time”.

“There was a resolution to expand the Coalition Council, the top organ of Azimio, to 11 members and that coalition party organs will not include party caucuses or alliances,” Prof Mutua added.

On Wednesday, eight parties—MCC, Narc, Muungano, Kenya Reform Party, Chama Cha Uzalendo, Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K), People’s Trust Party and Maendeleo Democratic Party—signed to join a caucus dubbed Mwanzo Mpya, threatening to tear Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya alliance apart.

Who is the strongest

“The smaller parties raised concerns and we had to assure them that there is no zoning. Where Azimio candidates are more than one, there will be discussion on who is the strongest so that the others can stand down. That is not zoning. We will let people run where consensus is not possible,” Prof Mutua added.

“The idea is to avoid running Azimio candidates against each other as that will open doors for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), especially in Nairobi and other cosmopolitan towns. That would be cutting your nose to spite your face.”

In zoning the country, it was highly expected that Mt Kenya, for example, would be reserved for Jubilee, dealing a blow to Narc-K leader Martha Karua and Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi’s Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP).

In Lower Eastern, where Mr Musyoka’s Wiper is the dominant party, Governors Ngilu, Kibwana, Mutua as well as former State House chief of Staff Nzioka Waita (Chama Cha Uzalendo) would be the likely casualties since the region would be categorised as a Wiper zone.

Casualty

With abandoning of zoning, Wiper could become a casualty as its candidates will have to compete with the affiliates.

In Mr Odinga’s backyard of Nyanza, many hopefuls are associating with other Azimio parties for fear of being denied ODM tickets.

If zoning were to take place, the likely victims would be Kisii Senator Sam Ongeri who shifted to DAP-K for fear of losing the ODM ticket to Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati in the governor contest.

In Migori, former MP John Pesa, who is also interested in winning the governor seat on a DAP-K ticket, would also be shoved aside.

He defected to DAP-K for fear of losing the ODM ticket to Senator Ochilo Ayacko.

With zoning off the table, ODM hopefuls, especially beneficiaries of direct tickets, are likely to have sleepless nights.

Good news

The turn of events is also good news for Kisumu West MP Olago Aluoch who defected from Ford Kenya to DAP-K when party leader Moses Wetang’ula joined Deputy President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza alliance.

Mr Olago could face Kisumu Woman Representative Rozah Buyu should ODM hand her a ticket.

In Siaya, former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo who teamed up with ex-National Police Service spokesman Charles Owino in the United Democratic Movement (UDM) to face Senator James Orengo in the governor contest would be in a similar predicament if zoning were to take place.

Dominant party

Even though UDM is led by Mandera Governor Ali Roba and is in Azimio, ODM is the dominant party in Siaya, Mr Odinga’s home county.

“UDM will not withdraw the certificate issued to our candidate in Siaya,” party secretary general David Ohito said.

Even though there is consensus that Vihiga, Kakamega and Busia counties are clustered under ODM and Bungoma and Trans Nzoia under DAP-K, the parties were headed for a clash if zoning was to be effected.

Another clash is looming in the Kakamega governor contest pitting ODM’s Fernandes Barasa against Lugari MP Ayub Savula of DAP-K.

Saboti MP Caleb Amisi is an ODM lawmaker in Trans Nzoia County, which would have been clustered under DAP-K, just as Kisumu West MP Aluoch is also a DAP-K member in a perceived ODM stronghold.

Vihiga Senator George Khaniri dumped Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC) for Cyrus Jirongo’s United Democratic Party (UDP) on whose ticket he plans to contest the governor seat against incumbent Wilbur Ottichilo of ODM.

There are reports that Party of Growth and Prosperity’s Mukhisa Kituyi could run for Bungoma Senator in the DAP-K region.

ODM claims the Coast. This could have led brawls with Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi’s Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) in the county as well as Wiper and Jubilee in Taita Taveta.

Mombasa Deputy Governor William Kingi was also in a dilemma in his bid to succeed Governor Ali Joho on a PAA ticket.

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