Nairobi — Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko says Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance presidential flag bearer Raila Odinga will win by a landslide if he picks Kalonzo Musyoka to be his running mate.
“We have a little wisdom and we beg you Odinga to listen. That selection panel in the board room will mislead you,” Sonko said of the eminent persons interviewing candidates for Raila’s running mate post, “You pick Kalonzo here as your running mate and we will sing Raila Tosha and you will be the next president.”
Sonko spoke in Mombasa on Friday, in the company of Kalonzo who is campaigning for him to be the next Mombasa Governor on his Wiper party ticket.
Sonko told off those underestimating Musyoka saying he has a political backing not only in the Ukambani region but across the country which will ultimately define who will win in the polls.
“Kalonzo’s votes are not in Ukambani only, he is a national leader and a peacemaker… He has over 3.5 million votes and on my end, as Sonko I have 1.5 million which adds to 5 million in total,” Sonko stated.
Sonko claimed that close circles surrounding Odinga are out to mislead him due to their selfish interests.
While defending Musyoka, Sonko insisted that there is no other leader who has a vast experience in the second in command slot within the Azimio la Umoja coalition.
Raila’s running mate post has sparked a major political debate in town, with leaders including Deputy President William Ruto saying Musyoka’s profile is too big for him to face a panel because he served as former president the late Mwai Kibaki’s Vice President.
The former Vice President has maintained that he is the most suitable candidate to deputize Odinga and on Thursday last week hinted that he might fail to honor the interview.
The panel of eminent persons seeking Odinga’s running mate held its inaugural meeting Wednesday and named former Cabinet Minister Noah Wekesa as its chairperson who made the announcement.
“The committee shall only consider candidates who are members of the constituents party members of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance,” Wekesa told journalists.
The committee, however, warned that it will only consider nominations from parties in the coalition.