Editor's Review

Azimio la Umoja team is expected to hold a meeting with IEBC on Tuesday, April 26 (today) to deliberate on the way forward

Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga will have his running mate by Thursday evening, this is according to Suna East MP Junet Mohamed.

Junet, who also doubles up as Azimio la Umoja Council Secretary-General, said their advisory panel will adhere to the IEBC's guidelines and come up with a name of the most suitable candidate in two days' time.

This was after the electoral agency, IEBC insisted that Deputy President William Ruto and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party’s Raila Odinga and other presidential aspirants should name their running mates by Thursday, April 28.

Junet said they are going to hold a meeting with IEBC on Tuesday, April 26 (today) to deliberate on their request to have Thursday's deadline postponed.

He said the outcome of the meeting will determine the speed at which their advisory panel will operate to deliver a running mate for Raila.

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"Time is not adequate when you are dealing with serious issues like running mate post but we shall see in the best reasonable manner possible. Our meeting with IEBC will determine what the future looks like. The panel is in place and once we meet with IEBC we will operationalize it. The panel is ready to go and will give us a name by Thursday," stated Junet.

{The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Council when it held its inaugural meeting at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre recently. Photo: Courtesy}

Azimio la Umoja team had written to the IEBC requesting more time to pick Raila's running mate but the commission's chairman Wafula Chebukati insisted on the need for all presidential candidates to pick their deputies by the time the party nominations window closes.

Raila is expected back in the country on Wednesday after he cut short his trip to the USA to attend the late former President Mwai Kibaki's burial.

If IEBC doesn’t review its decision, Kenyans will by Thursday know the running mates of DP Ruto and Mr Odinga, the two leading presidential contenders, ending the prolonged speculation.

In Raila's camp, the search for a running mate has been narrowed down to Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc Kenya's Martha Karua, and Agriculture CS Peter Munya.

In Kenya Kwanza, the search is now narrowed to ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, Tharaka-Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, and Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.

Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro and his Mathira counterpart Rigathi Gachagua have also been named as the most probable candidates.