Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Sunday, July 17, stepped in to quell sibling rivalry emerging within the Azimio la Umoja Coalition.
In a series of rallies in Nairobi county, the Presidential contender asked Kevin Kioko, popularly known as Bahati and Kibra MP Imran Okoth to step aside and support the election of ODM candidates in their respective constituencies.
Bahati was eying the Mathare parliamentary seat while Imran was seeking to defend his Kibra seat as an independent candidate.
In his speech, the former PM endorsed ODM’s Anthony Oluoch as the preferred candidate in Mathare while Okoth was challenged to support Peter Ochieng Orero.
Raila, later, promised to give the two leaders jobs within his government should Azimio One Kenya Alliance ascend to power on August 9.
"I want you to tell my son Imran that I will hold his hand. Let him leave here for Mwalimu (Peter Ochieng) to come in. I will be with Imran in the government.
"Here in Mathare, as Baba I know I have two children in the same race. Do you want me to advice you as Baba? This is what I want...I have Oluoch and Bahati, this is what I decide… I will hold Bahati’s hand,” stated the former Prime Minister at two separate rallies.
While in Mathare, the former Prime Minister made the announcement alongside Bahati who then left the venue immediately.
“Bahati is my child, I will give him a job in government. Ruaraka MP is TJ Kajwang while Mathare MP is Oluoch,” added Raila.
Later that evening, Bahati appeared to have been irked following the announcement maintaining that he would still contest for the seat.
"Cleared by IEBC and my party Jubilee... Blessed by God as well as Mathare people who have decided that the next MP is Bahati Kioko. I, Bahati Kioko, will be on the ballot this August 9," he wrote.
Over the past month, Bahati had been embroiled in a political war with ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna who claimed that the musician cum politician had dropped out of the race, reports that Bahati vehemently denied.
In a separate statement on Sunday, Sifuna also refuted claims that he was hospitalised following a fallout between him and Kileleshwa MCA candidate Robert Alai.
Sibling rivalry is threatening to dent Raila's fortunes especially in battle grounds where Azimio and Deputy President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza enjoy near-equal support.
