Azimio, Kenya Kwanza drop plans to field ‘one candidate’
Ms Celestine Saigut, a candidate in the Keiyo South parliamentary race, speaks during a rally in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County on July 21, 2022 as Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga listens. Both Mr Odinga and his main competitor William Ruto have given up on the plan to field one candidate under their coalitions for each elective seat.
Deputy President William Ruto and his competitor Raila Odinga have given up on the plan to field one candidate under their coalitions for each elective seat.
The two initially planned to convince those perceived as weak candidates to step down to increase their chances of winning as many seats as possible. But both camps now seem to have abandoned the plans of using opinion polls to force weaker candidates out of the race because it could affect voter turnout in the presidential race. Mr Odinga’s running mate, Martha Karua, on Friday evening said Azimio is not forcing any candidate to step down in favour of another, but consensus building is on.
“There is no one who is being asked to step down; it is a dialogue. It is not a must for our candidates to step down. You cannot force anyone to step down, if he/she is not willing to pull out of the race, he has a right,” she said.
“If we fail to agree, it is like voting for our opponents. The plan of negotiating with everyone is going on in areas where Azimio has many candidates for a particular seat.”
Consensus building
This comes after it emerged that Kenya Kwanza decided to go slow on consensus building so that where they have many candidates, it will translate into many votes for DP Ruto.
“We are interested in the top seat, which is for William Ruto, but down here, let our candidates under Kenya Kwanza compete up to the ballot so that the electorate decide who they want,” said Bungoma senator Moses Wetang’ula.
Both DP Ruto and Mr Odinga are only brokering deals where candidates have agreed to step down in favour of their coalition rivals while keeping off where there are no such deals. While campaigning in Turkana, Baringo, Trans Nzoia and Bungoma, Mr Odinga kept off matters of endorsing certain candidates, with supporters clashing in front of him. For instance, supporters of Jubilee Turkana governor candidate John Munyes and those of his ODM counterpart Jeremiah Lomokurai clashed in Lodwar. The two have failed to agree.
Voters will decide
A similar scenario was witnessed in Tiaty, Baringo County, between supporters of incumbent William Kamket of Kanu and Asman Kamama of Kenya Union Party, forcing Mr Odinga to assure them that all are his lieutenants and voters will decide their fate.
“There is no need for fighting. They (Mr Kamket and Mr Kamama) are all my people and let us campaign peacefully and it will be decided at the ballot,” said Mr Odinga in Kolowa, Baringo County, on Thursday.
Ruto’s director general of presidential campaigns Josphat Nanok said they can only apply consensus where candidates are willing to reach a deal. Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali Saturday said forcing candidates to accept consensus might be injurious to presidential flagbearers.
