Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga has appointed Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki ’s brother, Prof Isaiah Kindiki, as a presidential agent, day after the former was named Deputy President William Ruto’s chief agent.
Mr Odinga named lawyer Saitabu ole Kanchori as his chief agent, deputised by Nyeri deputy governor Dr Caroline Karugu.
Others in the Odinga presidential agents team are Prof Kindiki, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Executive Director Dr Oduor Ong’wen and Mr Odinga’s lawyer, Paul Mwangi.
The appointment of Prof Isaiah Iguna Kindiki, an elder brother of Prof Kithure Kindiki, is a culmination of the elder Kindiki brother’s support for Mr Odinga.
He had cast his lot with Mr Odinga in 2017 when his younger brother, Kithure, was the Senate Majority Leader and the seniormost Tharaka leader in the Jubilee govern,ment.
Prof Kindiki was dropped as Majority Leader after the 2017 elections and was replaced by Elgeyo Marakwet senator Kipchumba Murkomen.
The Tharaka Nithi senator was elected deputy speaker, only to be voted out in 2020, at the height of the political differences between Dr Ruto and his boss President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The Odinga-affiliated Kindiki is a Professor extraordinaire at the University of South Africa and a research professor at the University of Venda, both of them in South Africa.
He unsuccessfully contested for the Tharaka parliamentary seat in 2007 and thereafter left the country for South Africa where he immersed himself in books and labs for 10 years.
Prof Kindiki will be assisted by United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Veronica Maina and Dr Ruto’s presidential campaign secretariat head and Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok.
“Kenya Kwanza has confidence in the IEBC. We believe the commission is up to the task. My team will work with you to have a credible, free, fair and verifiable General Election,” said Dr Ruto at the Bomas of Kenya.
“We ask the commission to be vigilant. There are desperate people who have been telling whoever cares to listen that since they have no plan or agenda, the only thing left for them is to try and manipulate the August election.”
