With approximately 150 days to the August 9 polls, the Azimio la Umoja is yet to find a strong person from the Mt Kenya region to be Raila Odinga’s running mate.
Former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, Agriculture CS Peter Munya, and Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui were among the front runners being groomed to deputize Raila in an attempt to woe the vote-rich Mt Kenya region to Azimio.
However, a section of Jubilee insiders is now pushing President Uhuru Kenyatta to widen his net beyond the GEMA community saying those who were being fronted had failed to pull their own weight.
“There is a serious but silent war over that position of running mate. It is agreeable that the post should go to Mt Kenya, but who is the right candidate?
“Who among our generals have proved that they are worth so far? Who would have any value beyond Uhuru’s effort? That is where the war is, and expect this to erupt soon because some of the people being described as front runners are seen to be paper tigers,” a high-ranking Azimio strategist from President Uhuru’s region told the People Daily Newspaper.
With the vote-rich Mt Kenya region having no serious presidential candidate, it is now clear that Deputy President William Ruto would easily trounce ODM leader Raila Odinga in the scramble for the huge voting bloc.
According to the source the deputy president has built three faces from the Mt Kenya region who are more influential than those aligned to Azimio la Umoja.
Jubilee Party Deputy Party Secretary-General Joshua Kutuny said that Azimio should not just handpick someone to be seen as a favour to the region but must look for a person who is as aggressive as Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua.
“It is clear Rigathi Gachagua will be Ruto’s running mate. It will have to be fire for fire and so we need someone with equal aggression,
“We want to give it to people with political spine and punch not those sitting on the fence and waiting for endorsements,” Kutuny said.