Good Morning,
It is exactly seven months to general elections and the leading presidential candidates are yet to name their running mates. Pundits have termed the move from both parties as buying time to avoid hurting their chances for State House.
Naming a candidate for the running mate position risks rocking their campaign thus leading to the candidates avoiding setting a timeline for the much-anticipated decision giving room to their supporters to engage in guessing games.
Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga have not given any date to name those that they will team up with even though the clock is ticking fast towards the August 9 polls.
Their decision to remain mum on the issue has led the One Kenya Alliance principals to plan a retreat for mid next month whereby they will identify a flag bearer and a running mate.
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s vote-rich Mt. Kenya backyard has inevitably become the hunting ground for running-mates with the two leading presidential candidates expected to get a candidate from the region.
The region has more than five million votes and is expected to sway the 2022 presidential battle.
Meanwhile, here are stories making headlines on Opera News today:
Sudi, British billionaire in another Wilson Airport drama
Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and a British billionaire philanthropist were briefly stopped at Wilson Airport after they landed from Eldoret.
The Briton, Michael Spencer is also a Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom.
He is the founder of NEX Group, a UK-based business focused on electronic markets and post-trade business which was acquired by CME Group in November 2018.
Also in their company was controversial Tanzanian politician and former minister for natural resources and tourism Lazaro Nyalandu.
A manifest seen shows they were in a chartered flight from Eldoret to Wilson Airport.
When they arrived at the airport, they were briefly stopped as police insisted they have their luggage scanned.
UDA Party Announces When They Will Name DP Ruto’s Running Mate, Hint The Person They Want as DP
The United Democratic Alliance party has disclosed when they will be naming Deputy President William Ruto’s August polls running mate as fresh details emerge.
United Democratic Alliance Party National Chairman Johnson Muthama has informed that as the UDA party although they have not come to conclusion on who will deputize DP Ruto in his statehouse race.
They have several names on the table adding that qualifications bot be based on Community College or Individual but a person who has the potential to promote the idea pursued by the party.
ANC convention to seal Mudavadi’s presidential fate
ANC’s National Delegates Congress is expected to ratify changes to the constitution which gives party leader a nod to go for the presidency and nothing else.
The Amani National Congress NDC is set for January 23.
If the changes by the top decision making organ of the party, are ratified, Mudavadi may not contest for any other position as long as he is party leader.
ANC unveiled a new constitution on August 14, 2020 with changes that make party leader the automatic presidential candidate.
The NDC comes as speculation builds that the ANC leader could be crafting a deal with Deputy President William Ruto’s side.