A Wiper activist wants the NASA Technical and Strategy Committee to name a flag bearer soon, instead of waiting until next month.
Simon Adalla, a Nyali MP hopeful, said selecting the flag bearer before March will enable the coalition to align itself and a tame possible falling out.
Adalla said an early selection will help the opposition to sell its candidate to Kenyans. “This will also help us convince Kenyans that Jubilee has failed and should be sent home. As of now, residents are telling us, ‘You are asking us to vote out Jubilee, who should we vote in then?’ We lack answers,” he said.
Speaking to the Star on the phone, Adalla said the biggest percentage of registered voters is undecided and if given a candidate now, their narrative and perceptions will change in favour of the opposition’s presidential hopeful. ODM leader Raila Odinga, Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka, Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula and Musalia Mudavadi
of ANC want to steer the NASA ship.
NASA, a coalition formed to send Jubilee home, has named a 12-member team to officially register the alliance and name its presidential candidate.
The team, led by Siaya Senator James Orengo, is also working on the coalition’s instruments.
Senators Johnson Muthama (Machakos), Boni Khalwale (Kakamega) and Agnes Zani (Nominated) are members. Other members are Timothy Bosire (Kitutu Masaba MP), former National Assembly Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim and Ford Kenya secretary general Eseli Simiyu.
LEADERS ‘CAN AGREE’
“In fact, the issue of a committee should not arise at all. I’m cocksure our four leaders can sit down and agree amongst themselves who should take which positions. At times sacrifices are needed,” Adalla said.
The positions to be shared among the four include president, National Assembly speaker and majority leader, Senate speaker and majority leader, Nairobi governor and Mombasa governor.
Some of the positions, apart from president, will be filled by other key politicians from affiliate parties.
“Our resolve is to send this Jubilee government home. But the contest should start early by naming a candidate now,” Adalla said.
Opposition leaders insist their unity is the only strategy
of defeating Jubilee on August 8, so they will stick together. There have been fears that dissatisfied partners might bolt out if they are not named the presidential flagbearer.