Former Kimilili MP Mukhisa Kituyi has offered to mediate the proposed zoning for Azimio candidates in Bungoma county.
Kituyi said resistance to zoning will hand their Kenya Kwanza rivals seats they (Azimio) deserved to win.
The former United Nations Conference on Trade and Development secretary general spoke at Mbakalo ward in Tingareni constituency on Wednesday.
“I am basically complementing the work being done by different candidates who are seeking positions but from the perspective of how we can unlock and strengthen support for Baba (Raila Odinga)," he said.
"That’s what I have been focusing on by meeting opinion leaders to get their views on who is the most popular candidate who can win the various seats."
There has been fierce sibling rivalry among Jubilee, Democratic Action Party, ODM and United Democratic Party that have fielded candidates for seats in the county.
In Webuye East Caro Buyela of Jubilee, Aggrey Namisi (ODM) and Wanjala Iyaya (DAP-K) are all jostling for the MP seat while Ford Kenya, which is affiliated to Kenya Kwanza has fronted Martin Wanyonyi.
In Kanduyi, former assistant minister Alfred Khang'ati of ODM is in a do-or-die contest with the DAP-K leader Wafula Wamunyinyi, a rivalry that could provide an easy win for Ford Kenya's John Makali.
Kituyi said Azimio will lose a majority of seats in the county if it will allow the splitting of its supporters' votes among several candidates from the affiliate parties contesting against each other.
The move by Azimio is meant to avoid unhealthy internal competition that could cost the coalition seats.
Candidates from various Azimio affiliates have resisted the zoning idea and insist they will go all the way to the ballot.
“If we present several candidates for various seats and our rivals Kenya Kwanza are presenting one then we shall be gifting them seats we could have won on a silver platter,” Kituyi said.
Kituyi said that he had met opinion leaders and candidates in Webuye West and discussed their willingness to find a consensus to throw their weight behind the most popular hopeful.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
