Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has said that ODM leader Raila Odinga could lose the 2022 presidential race should efforts by the former premier to work with other opposition leaders fail.
Speaking during a televised interview on Sunday, October 10, the second term governor said Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka could take away a good number of votes that could otherwise help Raila clinch the presidency should he give a stab at the presidency.
“Obviously, If Kalonzo supports Raila or One Kenya Alliance joins ODM, it will be very easy for Raila to win the elections but if Kalonzo (Musyoka) is running, then he will take away some votes from Raila,” Oparanya said.
He said the ODM party is considering finding Raila Odinga’s running mate from the vote-rich Mt Kenya region should Kalonzo Musyoka who was Raila’s running mate in 2013 and 2017 General Election decide to vie for the top seat.
“As a party, we are strategising and we feel that Central Kenya will be the best balancing of votes should Kalonzo leave with his votes,” Oparanya added.
He further urged other One Kenya Alliance principals Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Gideon Moi (KANU), and Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya) to join the ODM party insisting that it is only through working together that the opposition can win the presidency.
With barely 10 months to the next General Election, the presidential race has narrowed down to two-horse race; Deputy President William Ruto and President Uhuru Kenyatta’s handshake partner Raila Odinga.
The Mout Kenya Foundation, a group tasked with searching President Uhuru Kenyatta’s preferred successor appears to have settled on Raila Odinga to succeed retiring President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The deputy president whose relationship with his boss has deteriorated beyond irredeemable levels appears to have been left out of the 2022 succession matrix.
