Mutula Kililonzo Jnr: No deal with Azimio unless Kalonzo is Raila’s running mate

Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior addresses a press conference at the party headquarters in Nairobi on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 [David Njaaga, Standard]

Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr says the Wiper Party will accept nothing less than the position of a running mate in the coalition talks between its party leader and Azimio la Umoja Presidential Candidate Raila Odinga.

“For Kalonzo [Musyoka] to have agreed to forfeit presidency for the third time it must count for something,” Senator Kilonzo Jr said.

Speaking in Wote, Makueni County, Saturday after a meeting with leaders and politicians from the region, he said that the Wiper Party had advised its leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, to go for the Deputy President’s position, even as Kalonzo Musyoka and Raila Odinga continue with coalition negotiations.

“While we are still in the process of negotiations and holding talks, we have asked that Kalonzo Musyoka be given the position of Deputy President,” he said.

Mutula Kilonzo Jr’s sentiments follow a meeting of his party leader with President Uhuru Kenyatta at Kalonzo’s Karen residence Friday evening.

“It was my absolute pleasure and joy to host the President of the Republic of Kenya H. E Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and my fellow OKA Principal Baringo Senator Gideon Moi at my Nairobi residence yesterday evening.

We are Azimio - One Kenya and we will support Right Honourable former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga for the presidency in the forthcoming August General Election,” Kalonzo tweeted on Saturday.

The meeting came a week after Kalonzo publicly endorsed Raila Odinga during the Azimio la Umoja Movement National Delegates Convention held at Kenyatta International Convention Centre.

President Kenyatta praised him saying his sacrifice will not go unrewarded.

“It isn’t that Kalonzo was incapable. He is very capable of becoming president but decided to support his brother Raila,” President Kenyatta said.

In the Azimio NDC Raila Odinga also said that while he and Kalonzo may have had issues in the past, the two had patched up things.

When the defunct Nasa coalition was faced with internal wrangles, three of the four principals, Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula had vowed that they would never work with Raila Odinga.

Even in post-Nasa politics, Kalonzo, on multiple occasions, publicly said that he would not enter into any political pacts with the former Prime Minister.