Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho came out clean on Thursday night to declare that he would run for the presidency in the 2022 general election. Speaking in an interview on Citizen TV, Joho said that he would be eyeing for the top seat under Orange Democratic Movement(ODM) ticket, taking over from Raila Odinga who is the party chairman.
“I want to be the president of this country come next general election because am the deputy party leader of ODM, the party which is influential in the country and that’s what gives me the drive towards wanting to be president,” said Joho.
The Mombasa Governor said that his party leader had not told him not to vie for the presidency in favour of anyone in the party, adding that should Raila opt to also vie, then they would sit down and come up with a solution.
“My party leader has not told me not to run, and I know democracy has many dimensions and am sure Raila stands for his word when he said he will retire from politics, and should he change mind then we will sit down and talk”
On his tour to Baringo County, in Kapsabet to visit retired President Daniel Moi, Joho said that he went to appreciate Moi for the work he had done for the country.
Joho added that he was also seeking to extend his friendship and unite all Kenyans across the country.
“I must go beyond the coastal region and talk to other Kenyans and it is my interest is to walk and talk with influential people in the country like Gideon Moi,” he said.
Khalwale said that only Ford Kenya, Amani National Coalition (ANC) and Wiper Democratic Movement parties are allowed to contest for the position calling on ODM party leader Raila Odinga to be a statesman and avoid any push that can make him default on the initial NASA agreement.
His remarks come a day after the ODM leader hinted out that the Orange party was ready to go it out solo in the push for the NASA agenda as well as the 2022 elections if pushed to do so, in the ODM National Governing Council meeting attended by NASA co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Musalia Mudavadi.