As the battle to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta intesifies,presidential hopefuls in the august 9th general elections have less than 10 days to make public their choice for running mate position.
This is according to Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati who in an inteview said that Presidential Candidates have until April 28 to forward the names of their Running mates.
Chebukati said that they expect to know their running mates on the date when they submit the names of the nominated candidates.
Read also:Blow to Mount Kenya region as Raila Finally unveils his Running mate.
This means AZIMIO flag bearer,Raila Odinga and Kenya Kwanza leader William Ruto -who are the front runners-wil have to unleash their final hidden cards amid pressure from their allies who are pushing that they be named as the candidate for deputy president.
This is going to be a headache for both the coalitions; Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance and the Kenya Kwanza Alliance, with the Mt Kenya region demanding the running mate slot.
In Kenya Kwanza, mount Kenya has insisted that they going for nothing less than a running mate position as they have stood with the DP.
In a recent interview,Mathira Member of Parliament Rigathi Gachagua said that they had an arrangement with Ruto and the stand has not changed
“One of the things we had discussed with him is that whatever we had agreed earlier cannot change drastically to the disadvantage of the Mt Kenya People because the new friends have come,” Gachagua said.
Rigathi had been viewed as a potential Ruto’s running mare for Ruto but he said that he will defend his seat.
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria said that the Mount Kenya region deserves a 40% share of the next government.
The Western region is also jostling for the running mate position in DP’s Camp with Kakamega county senator Cleophas Malala insisting that Mudavadi should be Ruto’s running mate.
“As a party, we’re saying [that], if UDA takes the presidential ticket, the ANC will want the position of deputy president,” he said in Malava.
Read also:ANC: Ruto is not Kenya Kwanza Presidential Candidate
“People shouldn’t sit together and say that, because they come from the mountain, then they deserve to be the deputy president more than us.”
In Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance, Wiper Democratic Movement Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has said that he should be Raila’s running mate as he is also from the Mount Kenya Region.
Despite blowing hot and cold about the running mate position opining that he will accept any formation in Azimio his allies have insisted on the running mate position.
When he was asked about the running mate position Kalonzo said “Let us not talk about the obvious. We don’t discuss the obvious,”
Former Gatanga Member of Parliament Peter Kenneth is being fronted by the Mount Kenya foundation as Raila’s running mate.
Read also:Which Way Nairobi, Azimio or Kenya Kwanza
A recent poll showed that most United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party supporters back ANC’s Musalia Mudavadi for DPs Position.
All the major coalitions are logged in boardroom meetings to come up with a power-sharing deal that will prevent any tension in coalitions.
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