Sibling rivalry is taking a toll on Azimio One Kenya coalition campaigns in Kakamega county.
What started as a push to rationalise candidates now points to the gravity of the internal competition in the coalition.
UDP leader Cyrus Jirongo has accused Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya of executing a scheme by Raila Odinga to destroy ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang'ula.
Oparanya is leading the Azimio campaigns in Western.
Oparanya is accusing Jirongo of being a mole for Deputy President William Ruto in Azimio.
"Who doesn't know that he is a mole in Azimio?" Oparanya asked.
The proposed rationalisation of candidates failed after a majority of candidates from DAP-K declined to drop their ambitions.
“There is no zoning, these people just created it. Let all candidates go to the ballot and the people will decide whom they want to lead them,” Oparanya said.
His remarks on zoning contradict the position taken by Raila who said the coalition will devise a way to rationalise its candidates to present a single hopeful to avoid splitting the support base.
According to political pundits, the rivalry is likely to cost Azimio the seats it could have won against its Kenya Kwanza rivals.
Oparanya has asked politicians seeking seats in Kakamega to stop campaigning using his name because he is not vying for any elective seat.
Oparanya has, however, openly declared Kakamega governor candidate Fernandes Barasa as his preferred successor.
Political scientist Amukowa Anangwe said the rivalry will affect the Azimio messaging in its campaigns and weaken the coalition in Western to the advantage of Kenya Kwanza.
“Azimio is a jumbo coalition whose only primary quest is to get Raila elected as president and nothing more,” he said.
He said the fight between Jirongo and Oparanya is about self-interests.
Anangwe said While Jirongo is fighting for his space in the county, Oparanya is pushing to ensure the entire Kakamega elects ODM candidates from MCA to the governor slot.
He said Oparanya was propagating an ODM agenda in Azimio.
The analyst further said Jirongo cannot be a mole in Azimio because he is campaigning for Raila.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
