- Mnyazi however, said that the final decision on who succeeds Raila will solely lie on him as the ODM party leader.
- She went on to say that should he settle on Joho, the Coastal region leaders will be happy because he is someone they love wholeheartedly.
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Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi has said that they want ODM deputy party leader Hassan Joho to take over the leadership of the party, should Raila Odinga become the new African Union Commission chairperson.
Speaking in Kilifi, Mnyazi however, said that the final decision on who succeeds Raila will solely lie on him as the ODM party leader.
She went on to say that should he settle on Joho, the Coastal region leaders will be happy because he is someone they love wholeheartedly.
The legislator added that should the opposition leader settle on someone else, it would feel like a forced marriage but they would still follow the Opposition leader's direction since he is their leader.
"Sisi twampenda Hassan Ali Joho aweze kutuongoza lakini maamuzi Baba ni yako. Ukituambia ni Hassan Ali Joho utakuwa umetufurahisha kwa sababu unatuozesha mtu ambaye tunampenda na roho yetu. Ukituambia si yeye kuna kwengine itakuwa ni ile ya kulazimishwa lakini but tutakusikiza kwa sababu wewe ndio kiongozi wetu," Mnyazi said.
This loosely translates to, "We’d love Hassan Ali Joho to lead us, but the decision Baba is yours. If you tell us it's Hassan Ali Joho, you will have made us happy because you are marrying us to someone we love with our souls. If you tell us it is not him but someone else, it will be forced, but we will listen to you because you are our leader."
She spoke in Kilifi where she had accompanied the Azimio leader to a fundraiser for orphans at Malindi Islamic Center and Orphanage on Sunday.
Coastal leaders have been drumming up support for Joho to become the next ODM party leader should Raila bag the AU Commission job.
This has also seen leaders from competing parties declare their support for Joho including Hassan Omar, the UDA vice chairman.
However, speaking at the same event, Raila 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.
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.