With less than two weeks to the deadline by the electoral commission for presidential hopefuls to submit the names of their running mates, all eyes are on the choices that will be made.
Given the strength of the candidates, more focus is on the two leading candidates, or as Kenyans would have it, the two main horses: Raila Odinga of the Azimio-One Kenya Coalition Party and Deputy President William Ruto of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
This is an important matter because the choice of the running mate makes all the difference in the outcome of the presidential election.
One, it has a direct effect on swaying voters based on the general acceptability of the particular person. This draws from the profile of the person and the perceived ability to help the president deliver.
Second, does the ticket captain have a target group of voters that they would like to woo by the choice of the running mate? For a long time, our voting patterns have been easily drawn along ethnic lines, greatly reflected in geographical zones.
This can be guided by the ideological, religious, gender, age or geographical identity of the target group. Based on these, one hopes to play the card that bags the highest number of votes.
Third, the choice speaks much to the principle, value and character endorsement by the presidential candidate. Basically, the reputation of the chosen running mate gives the voters the general perception of the values that the ticket captain endorses.
Azimio-One Kenya Coalition Party is considering several names for Raila's running mate. Among them are the iron lady Martha Karua, Wiper boss Kalonzo Musyoka, Agriculture CS Peter Munya, former MP Kenneth, Murang'a Woman Rep Sabina Chege, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, his Kakamega and Kitui counterparts Wycliffe Oparanya and Charity Ngilu, among others.
In this list, it is easy to say Raila is spoilt for choice.
Kalonzo is a name that comes with many positives. He has effectively served as an MP since 1985, been deputy speaker, an assistant minister, a minister and the 1oth Vice President.
On matters integrity, Kalonzo has managed to steer clear of the controversies that have been synonymous with many political figures.
He commands a good following not only from his Ukambani backyard, but countrywide.
Karua is a gem herself. She has respect across all ages, gender, ethnic groups and religions. She has been a long-serving MP, a minister and party leader.
She boasts accolades such as being the first woman advocate to be elected to the National Assembly. With Ngilu, they are said to be the inspirational figures for women, young and old in Kenya. She is known for her principle of non-compromise, speaking volumes to her high integrity. Karua is the gateway to many votes in the mountain and women vote bloc.
Munya has been noticed by Kenyans as a performer with ruthless drive to deliver and the fortitude to stand up to politics of distraction just to be able to deliver on his mandate.
Sabina is beautiful, intelligent, youthful and scandal-free. Clearly, Raila has quality patriots to chose from.
Ruto is also spoilt for choice. Some of the names he has to choose from are Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua, ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, Ford-K Senator Moses Wetang'ula, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro and Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.
Now, here, DP Ruto will have a hard time. Mudavadi is the highest ranking politician in terms of perceived national influence. He, however, comes out as an unaggressive man who goes easy on things, save for the tough speeches meant to capture moments.
Gachagua is a first-term MP who has been charged in some scandals involving millions of money. Besides his personalised attacks aimed at his former boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta, Rigathi has nothing much to his profile that makes him a national leader.
Nyoro, a first-term, MP has earned his fame for his disdain for Raila and now, his former party leader, President Kenyatta.
Waiguru,who is expected to give Kenya Kwanza the votes from the mountain, became a household name for the wrong reasons. She is famous for the NYS scandal that saw the youth empowerment programme loose hundreds of millions, before being elected governor in 2017. She has no prior political history and is believed to have benefitted from the Jubilee wave in Mt Kenya in 2017.
The choice of running mate can make or break a candidate’s chance to clinch the presidency. With the choices available for Ruto and Raila, it is for the citizens to decide who is spoilt for quality choices and who has to choose between a hard rock and the blue sea.
After all, the running mate choice is supposed to appeal to the voters.
