As they say, a day is a long time in politics and the adage is true if the events of Saturday morning are anything to go by. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga on Saturday, March 12, was unveiled as the Azimio la Umoja movement presidential flag bearer with Wiper's Kalonzo Musyoka shelving his bid.
Reports indicate that the journey towards settling on Raila as the Azimio's candidate was a tension-filled affair, hours before the Kenyatta International Convention Conference (KICC) event- with six hour-long meetings held in Karen and State House, Nairobi.
Sources indicated that Kalonzo had stood his ground for hours, with a raft of demands before shelving his bid.
Among the demands he issued include an equal stake as principals to that of ODM as well as Jubilee.
Sources at the meeting intimated to the media that Kalonzo also demanded a structured agreement, the running mate slot and a share of the government.
The meeting led to a stalemate between the two with the duo's past relationship coming into play. Kalonzo reiterated that Raila should back his Presidential bid in the Azimio-OKA coalition.
It took President Uhuru Kenyatta's intervention to broker a truce between the two which saw Kalonzo and Raila shake hands and agree to join forces.
Kenyatta, the chief power broker, insisted that the two work together based on the principles of equity and regional balance in sharing power.
"I'm certain that when he will take office, he will not leave his people behind. When the government will be formed , we will hear the likes of Kalonzo, KANU's Gideon Moi,Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu and the rest," President Kenyatta stated during the KICC event.
Raila also affirmed the intricate role that the Head of State played in influencing Kalonzo to shelve his presidential bid.
"My brother Uhuru Kenyatta has done a lot and we will walk together in this race. I reiterated that I'm not his project neither is he mine," Raila noted.
"I want to pay gratitude to all of you who are here today, who have made a decision to nominate me as your candidate in the coming election. I accept the nomination by Azimio La Umoja to vie for the President of the Republic of Kenya in the August 2022 elections," he added.
The event saw over 20 political parties sign the Azimio coalition agreement, with President Kenyatta affirming that Raila is his preferred successor.
“It isn’t that Kalonzo was incapable. He is very capable of becoming president but decided to support his brother Raila.”
"Many doubted that myself and Raila could work together. All of us here today, we believe he is the person capable of moving us forward,” President Kenyatta noted.
