Nasa organs to submit reports on presidential candidacy

From left: Opposition leaders Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi, Raila Odinga and Moses Wetang'ula display their copies of the coalition agreement for the National Super Alliance at the Okoa Kenya movement's office in Nairobi on February 22, 2017. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The directive by the quartet of Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula, we learned, is meant to give politicians, especially those sitting in the coordinating committee, ample time to focus on campaigns ahead of nominations, which start on Friday.

  • A member of the committee familiar with the coalition’s internal timelines, who spoke to the Nation in confidence, said the step was further informed by the need to unveil a single candidate from the four politicians to assuage the growing anxiety stoked by reports that the coalition was unable to reach an agreement.

Two organs midwifing the process of picking who among the four leaders of Nasa will fly the alliance's presidential flag in this year's General Election have until Thursday to submit their final reports.

The directive by the quartet of Mr Raila Odinga (ODM), Mr Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Mr Musalia Mudavadi (ANC) and Mr Moses Wetang’ula, we learned, is meant to give politicians, especially those sitting in the coordinating committee, ample time to focus on campaigns ahead of nominations, which start on Friday.

A member of the committee familiar with the coalition’s internal timelines, who spoke to the Nation in confidence, said the step was further informed by the need to unveil a single candidate from the four politicians to assuage the growing anxiety stoked by reports that the coalition was unable to reach an agreement.

“We are closing the chapter by Thursday and leave the rest to the bosses who will have the last call on the matter of who from amongst themselves will be the candidate and running mate,” said the source.

ODM begins its nominations on Friday, Wiper on April 24, ANC next Sunday while Ford-Kenya will pick its candidates between April 13 and 26.

COMMITTEE'S MEMBERS

Some of the members of the coordinating committee like Sakwa Bunyasi (MP Nambale, ANC), Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren MP, Ford-K), James Orengo (Siaya Senator, ODM) and Johnstone Muthama (Machakos Senator, Wiper) are defending their seats and the instruction will see them dedicate their energies in their own individual ambitions although virtually all of them are assured of their party tickets given their respective high pedestals in those outfits.

It also emerged that the technical team had by the close of the week furnished the registrar of political parties Lucy Ndung’u with all the necessary paperwork to enable Nasa become a fully registered coalition. It has been operating with a provisional certificate.

The coordinating committee has been working in tandem with a technical committee where East African Legislative Assembly member Abubakar Zein, former chairman of Mumias Sugar Company Dan Ameyo, lawyer Norman Magaya and Economist David Ndii, among others, sit.

A senior member of the coalition indicated that the individuals would, however, continue advising the coalition on campaign strategy.