Orange Democratic Movement party leader Raila Odinga has asked leaders to stop ethnic and regional campaigns aimed at succeeding him.
According to the Opposition leader, the move will cause division within the party.
Raila asked leaders aspiring to succeed him as ODM party leader to go slow as he is still the party leader.
He likened them to men who want to inherit a woman whose husband is still alive.
"I have only said that I have to be the African Union Commission chairperson. I have not gotten the job, I'm still here," Raila said.
"Addis Ababa is not far from here and even if Baba is not here, we will sit down as ODM and agree on the way forward."
Raila said the ODM party needs everyone for it to be stronger.
The former Prime minister noted that he has listened to what the Coastal region leaders were saying and what he does not want is division in the party.
He discouraged leaders from saying who they wanted to take over the leadership of the party should he go to the AUC because they come from a certain region.
Raila, however, noted that any member is free to say whom he wants to succeed him, should he bad the Continental job.
"You are a member of ODM and if the party decides to hold elections it will be as ODM. If you bring the thought of dividing the party on regional grounds the party will be weak," he said.
"I want ODM to remain as it is. The strongest and most organised political party in East and Central Africa region."
The former Prime minister was reacting to calls by Coast ODM leaders who had asked him to give former Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho a chance to succeed him after winning the African Union chairman post.
Coast leaders who accompanied Raila in a fundraiser for orphans at Malindi Islamic Center and Orphanage included Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro, his Mombasa counterpart Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir, Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo, Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi, Magarini MP Harrison Kombe, Mombasa Woman Rep Zamzam Mohamed, Kaloleni MP Paul Katana among other leaders from Kilifi and Mombasa counties.
