Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua will be the first female Deputy President in Kenya if Raila Odinga chooses her as his running mate and if Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance wins the August 9 elections.
This is because she emerged victorious from the running mate interviews that were conducted at the Serena hotel earlier this week.
According to sources, Karua beat her competitors by scoring 82%. She was followed by Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka who got 80% while former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth came third with 76%.
The Azimio team is expected to officially announce the results. The results were supposed to be announced on Wednesday by 11 am but Azimio’s presidential candidate Raila Odinga was out of Nairobi.
“We finished the job and we were ready to give the report today [Wednesday], little did we know that the presidential candidate would be out of town. I only received this information this morning,” Dr. Noah Wekesa, the chairman of the selection panel, said.
Earlier Karua had said that she will remain in Azimio even if she will not be selected as Raila’s running mate.
“Even if I went for the interview, I don’t want to say that it is a must that I be the deputy. When I was joining Azimio, I did not give any conditions. I joined and started campaigns immediately because I know Raila has the best intentions for the common mwananchi at heart,” she said in a meeting with grassroot leaders from Nyeri county.
11 candidates were shortlisted for the interviews that took place on May 9 and 10. Others who were interviewed include Murang’a Woman Rep Sabina Chege, Mombasa governor Ali Hassan Joho, Agriculture CS Peter Munya, former Emgwen MP Stephen Tarus and Narc boss Charity Ngilu, Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) and Lee Kinyanjui (Nakuru)
Baringo senator Gideon Moi withdrew from the race stating that his name was submitted without authority. Other sources however indicate that he stepped down in favor of Kalonzo.
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