Written By John Mutiso 📝
As the seven-member panel tasked with finding Raila Odinga’s running mate begins interviews today, cracks have emerged in Azimio presidential Running Mate Selection Panel following Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua’s threat to resign over what he claims is foul play.
Wambua objected among other issues, to the inclusion of Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu’s name on the list of people nominated to be interviewed by the seven-member panel.
He also claimed that there was an elaborate scheme to deny Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka the position and instead give it to the Narc party leader, who was being imposed on the people.
“If I interrogate the panel and establish that we have just been put there to rubber-stamp a predetermined decision that is not good and suitable, take it from me, I as Enoch Kiio Wambua I will easily resign from the outfit,” Wambua said on Saturday while in Kitui.
The senator missed a crucial panel meeting that day, where mandatory interviews for aspirants were approved.
However, Suna East MP Junet Mohamed who is the Azimio la Umoja Council Secretary denied any schism among panel members.
“There is no fallout. The committee has not reported anything to the effect they are divided,” the MP said on Sunday.
Dr. Noah Wekesa, the panel’s chairman, also poured cold water on reports of team rifts, saying he was unaware of any dissatisfaction among his members claiming that Wambua’s absence from the Saturday meeting was due to the senator’s previously scheduled engagements, which he was unable to cancel.
“Wambua is a good man. He told us very early that he had issues that he could not cancel. We have been with him all the way,” Wekesa said on phone.
The Kalonzo camp has rejected any arrangement in which the former Vice President is paraded before the selection committee for grilling.
According to the Wiper team, subjecting Kalonzo to an interview was the height of public humiliation and disrespect for a man who has served the country as a Vice President and was Raila’s running mate twice.
Wekesa, on the other hand, stated that Kalonzo and the other remaining candidates must either appear for questioning before his panel or forget the job.
Senator Mutula Kilonzo of Makueni and Mombasa County gubernatorial candidate Mike Sonko has also promised to bring down Azimio if he is rigged out of the running mate position.
“We have said Kalonzo will not attend the interview on Monday. He cannot do the exam while he is the marking scheme. If the chance is given to any other person, it will be messy kitaumana” Mutula reiterated.
Last week, Kalonzo proposed a meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta and Azimio presidential candidate Raila to discuss the running mate impasse, while stating that he would be unavailable for any panel interviews.
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