Caption: Kitui Rural MP (Wiper Party) Charles Nyamai addressing journalists in Kitui Town. (Tom Waita/hivisasa.com)
A Wiper Party MP Charles Nyamai has warned ODM leaders against calling for Raila Odinga’s crowning as the National Super Alliance (Nasa)’s presidential flag bearer as doing so will stir internal wrangles and wreck the coalition.
Speaking to journalists in Kitui Town yesterday, Mr Nyamai termed as harmful to Nasa unity, the pro-Raila remarks made last weekend by two ODM leaders intimating that, of the four Opposition principals, their party boss is best suited to defeat UhuRuto.
Nasa is a mutual coalition agreement between the Raila Odinga-led ODM, Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC, Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Democratic Movement and Moses Wetangula’s Ford Kenya.
Speaking separately, ODM’s deputy party leader Ali Hassan Joho and Raila's elder brother and Nominated MP Oburu Odinga were quoted touting Mr Odinga as the ideal person to battle it out with President Uhuru Kenyatta in the impending polls.
The two also urged Raila’s partners to shelve their presidential ambitions in favour of the former Prime Minister.
Other ODM leaders who have also demanded that Raila should bear Nasa’s torch in the race to State House include Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi, Homabay Woman MP Gladys Wanga and Busia's Florence Mutua.
“Nasa is a partnership between four independent political outfits, each with a leader capable of flying the presidential flag, but internal rivalry is the last thing we need if at all we want to send the Jubilee government home.
“We must therefore, avoid a situation where each party demands that their leader be made the flag bearer as it would eventually split the Nasa vote and grant Jubilee Alliance an easy win,” noted Mr Nyamai.
The Kitui Rural legislator as well advised the Orange Democratic Movement leaders to keep their daggers sheathed to allow the Opposition a better shot at the State house come the August 8 General Election.