The National Super Alliance (NASA) team is reported to have reached a major agreement in their quest to pick its line-up that will be going head to head with Jubilee’s candidate, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.
The technical committee formed by NASA to help identify the presidential candidate is said to have agreed that whatever the outcome, it will be wise to have Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka as either the candidate or running mate, the Nation reports.
According to sources privy to the deliberations, the committee observed that any pair that has either Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi or Moses Wetang’ula, in no particular order of candidate or running mate, will not sell since they all come from the western part of the country.
The NASA strategists, therefore, hold that in order to appeal to the voters countrywide, Kalonzo has to either be the candidate or a running mate to any of the three co-principals.
Also among the general guidelines, the committee has agreed upon is that each of the principals should prepare their troops to accept the outcome of the talks.
The revelations come amid growing speculations that the Jubilee side is keen on having Mr Musyoka abandon the NASA alliance and have his own presidential campaign to divide the opposition votes – then afterwards grant him a powerful position in the next government.
The former Vice President has, however, insisted that he stick with NASA and will at no point join forces with the ruling party.
Apart from coming up the flagbearer and the running mate, the NASA committee has been charged with establishing structures to ensure the outfit remains intact ahead of the August elections.
The members of the committee are senators James Orengo, Johnson Muthama, Agnes Zani and Boni Khalwale and MPs Eseli Simiyu, Sakwa Bunyasi, Francis Nyenze, Chris Wamalwa, Timothy Bosire, Farah Maalim and Kipruto Kirwa.
The team has at least two weeks to present a report offering suggestions on how to face the elections as a single unit.
