One week after penning a deal to join the Azimio La Umoja political faction and back Raila Odinga's presidential bid, Wiper Party leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, has opened up on the coalition agreement with the former Prime Minister.
Speaking on Musyi FM on Friday, March 18, Kalonzo stated that he desired to be Raila's running mate in the August 9 poll, but stated that he was ready to drop his ambition on the condition that he is allocated a third of positions in the government.
Kalonzo, who served as a Vice President in the Mwai Kibaki government, shelved his presidential bid and backed Raila's aspirations for the third time running. In 2013 and 2017 polls, the Ukambani leader entered a pact with Raila and Kenya Kwanza's Musalia Mudavadi.
In the agreement that he made public last month, Raila had agreed to support his presidential bid in the 2022 elections.
Kalonzo now says the recent coalition agreement is anchored on three foundations whose details are only known to himself, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila.
The Azimio La Umoja agreement, according to him, brought together the One Kenya Alliance (OKA), Uhuru's ruling Jubilee Party, and Raila's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
“Talks on power-sharing are still underway. We want to ensure that the Kamba community gets the respect it deserves.
“As OKA, we shall be on the ballot because we have created a coalition agreement modelled around the three-legged stool known as Azimio-One Kenya Alliance,” he stated.
The entry of Kalonzo and the OKA brigade into Azimio La Umoja complicates the running mates matrix for the former Prime Minister who enjoys a huge backing from the vote-rich Mount Kenya region.
Before the Raila - Kalonzo deal, various leaders from the Mountain region including former Gatanga Member of Parliament, Peter Kenneth, and Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, Peter Munya, were seen as favourites to deputise Raila.
However, while appearing on an interview on Citizen TV on Tuesday, March 15, Jubilee Vice Chairman, David Murathe, stated that the Mount Kenya region would not be adamant to be given the position.
Just as Kalonzo, Murathe stated that Mount Kenya region would insist on a fair share of government positions depending on the votes Raila will receive from the region.
During the radio interview, Kalonzo also insisted that he did not delay the Azimio's National Delegates Convention (NDC) over his hardliner stance, stating that Raila arrived late at State House where the talks were taking place.
“I arrived in State House at 0930hrs and our meeting delayed because Raila arrived later with Charity Ngilu at 1300hrs. We had a brief meeting together with Uhuru then left for the NDC at KICC,” he stated.
