Veteran Politicians Pushed Aside As Ruto, Raila Running Mate Battle Narrows Down to Two Each

It is now emerging that both ODM leader Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto have been left with two options for the running mate's seats.

Inside details accessed by Nairobi Leo indicate that heavy political names have been elbowed out of the race.

According to a report by a local daily, Raila's deputy will either be Former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth or Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua.

Though Kalonzo was billed as the likely candidate for the seat, the tidings in Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance have pushed him to the periphery.

Allies of President Uhuru Kenyatta are said to be working around the clock in persuading Kalonzo to drop the ball.

President Uhuru Kenyatta's assistant technical adviser Mutahi Ngunyi recently raised eyebrows when he stated that Karua had been picked as Raila's DP.

“The verdict is out: It is Martha Karua as Raila’s running mate. I said it in June 2021. And what I saw then has not changed. She is the one. End of discussion,” Ngunyi tweeted last Monday.

The speculations come even as Members of the Wiper party insist that Kalonzo must be named the running mate.

On the Kenya Kwanza side, Ruto is said to have remained with Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru and Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua.

Senior and vibrant leaders such as National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki are seemingly out of the race.

This comes even as the DP met with Gachagua, Kindiki, and Muturi on Tuesday for talks that political pundits billed were pegged on the choice of a running mate.

Ruto is understood to have told ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi that he will pick a running mate from the Mt Kenya region.

He is said to have told Wetangula and Mudavadi that he will hand them speaker and finance CS jobs respectively.

IEBC on Wednesday extended the window for submitting the names of running mates to May 16.