Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential aspirant Raila Odinga has named former State House Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita as part of the team that will lead his campaign in the Lower Eastern region.
The former Prime Minister has also tapped John Katuku and Florence Mwangangi into his team, that will be tasked with pushing the Azimio agenda in the Wiper party-dominated area.
Waita and Mwangangi are jointly seeking the Machakos gubernatorial seat, after former President Uhuru Kenyatta's point man named the County Assembly speaker as his running mate.
The Chama Cha Uzalendo (CCU) Party leader resigned from the government in February this year, to venture into politics as he seeks to succeed the outgoing governor, Dr Alfred Mutua.
Odinga who is seeking to consolidate his Ukambani vote has also named Mutua's former Chief of Staff Mwengi Mutuse to the campaign team.
The region, in which the ODM leader has his eyes on comprises Machakos, Makueni, Kajiado and Kitui counties, which remain crucial in his quest to succeed President Kenyatta.
It may also ruffle feathers within the region, especially with Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka yet to publicly announce if he will work with Odinga ahead of the polls.
On Monday, there were reports that Wiper leaders who met in Machakos mounted pressure on the former Vice President to reunite with the ex-PM. Organizing Secretary Robert Mbui added that the party was safer under Azimio.
"We want to be part of the new Kenya going forward but we need structured discussions as what is being offered are only in the media. We want Azimio to know that the issue is about Wiper as a party, and not Kalonzo as people have made it to be," he noted.
Amid the uncertainty in Azimio Waita was among the first leaders to openly call out Kalonzo, asking him to live up to an oath he allegedly took at the residence of the former president, the late Daniel Moi to protect the interests of the Akamba nation.
"When Mulu Mutisya held Kalonzo's hand and took him to Kabarak where he was anointed as the leader of the nation, Mulu expected that he would unite all our people and bring prosperity. Instead, he is overseeing the systematic destruction of the unity," Waita wrote.
Waita, Mwangangi and Mutuse are not only expected to bring in the youth vote but also provide an alternative voice with Mutua having decamped to the Kenya Kwanza camp.
The Lower Eastern region is poised to be among the swing-vote regions for both Odinga and the Deputy President William Ruto with each side leaving nothing to chance.
