• His remarks come amidst questions about why Raila Odinga's potential running mates should undergo vetting.
• On April 27, Raila announced a seven-member panel to vet those interested in the running mate position.
Image: DOUGLAS OKIDDY
Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance council secretary general Junet Mohamed has disclosed why the coalition must vet the person that will deputise Raila Odinga ahead of the August 9 polls.
In a tweet on Tuesday, the Suna East MP said that the key reason they will have to vet potential candidates is because they do not want to end up with someone like the current deputy president.
"The guiding principle in identifying a running mate for the Azimio Presidential candidate is, we don’t want to have a deputy president like William Ruto," Junet said.
His remarks come amidst questions about why Raila Odinga's potential running mates should undergo vetting.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka is among those who have raised issues over the decision, insisting that he had deputised Raila twice, in 2013 and 2017, and had served as Kenya's Vice President for five years.
“This issue is beginning to weigh heavily on me. I find it almost unacceptable discussing it... If this issue is solved earlier, it will give some of us the impetus to the campaign,” Kalonzo said last week.
On April 27, Raila announced a seven-member panel to vet those interested in the running mate position.
The panel consist of the clergy and representatives of political parties.
They included; Bishop Peter Njenga, Archbishop Zaccheus Okoth, Senator Enock Wambua, Michael Orwa, Noah Wekesa, Sheik Mohammed Khalifa and Beatrice Moe. The secretary of the panel is Elizabeth Meyo.
The panel has up to May 10 to submit the names of persons suitable for the running mate position.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati extended the deadline for submission of running mate names for presidential and governor aspirants to May 16.