Kenyan Newspapers Review For May 16 2022: Kindiki Kithure Was Rigged Out after Beating Rigathi Gachagua In DP Race
The publications also delved into the goings-on in the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition which is set to unveil its presidential running mate today, Monday 16.
1. The StandardThe publication established that Tharaka Nithi senator Kithure Kindiki was on the verge of deputising Deputy President
William Rutoin his presidential bid after he (Kindiki) was voted as the favourite.
It took over 17 hours for Ruto, in the company of fellow luminaries and other Kenya Kwanza chief strategists, to settle on a viable running mate ahead of the August 9 presidential vote.
The final shortlist bore Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua and Senator Kithure Kindiki of Tharaka Nithi; others like Governor
Anne Waiguru, Alice Wahome, Ndindi Nyoro and Justin Muturi had been singled out.
It turned out to be a Herculean task for Ruto to pick either of the finalists in the race, prompting voting before settling on his potential deputy should he make Kenya's fifth president.
After the voting that was conducted by the coalition's high profile luminaries, Kindiki garnered 23 votes against Rigathi's four, The Standard reported.
However, even after edging over the Mathira MP, Kindiki could not get the post owing to a number of factors, among them grassroots mobilisation skills and the temperament desired of an individual deputising a president.
The Tharaka Nithi said he would issue a statement on Monday after losing out on the Kenya Kwanza's presidential arithmetic.
2. Daily Nation
The daily also spared space for the Kenya Kwanza's running mate impasse that was broken in the afternoon of Sunday, May 15.
After months of speculation, Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua was named Ruto's running mate in the forthcoming August 9 General Election.
The Kenya Kwanza Alliance settled on the lawmaker after
held at Ruto's official Karen residence in Nairobi on the morning of Saturday, May 14.
While announcing his appointment on the afternoon of Sunday, May 15, Ruto described the outspoken lawmaker as an astute debater, a successful elected politician who is a principled, resilient and fearless fighter for the right cause.
"He is my friend whom I have worked with, especially on that Bottom-Up Economic model and we started that journey together. He understands people's issues, he is passionate about ordinary people," said Ruto.
The first timer in the National Assembly comes from the vote-rich Mt Kenya region and his appointment is aimed to endear Ruto's candidature to over 5.85 million electorates in the area according to the unratified Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) figures.
3. The Star
highlighted the intrigues behind the delay in the naming of Kenya Kwanza's running mate.
The Ruto-led team is said to have convened a crisis meeting after a standoff emerged between MPs that were supporting Rigathi Gachagua and those rooting for Kithure Kindiki.
Ruto had settled on the Mathira lawmaker, but over 40 MPs from Mt Kenya and Musalia Mudavadi were opposed to his candidature.
The lawmakers then conducted a secret ballot, and out of them, only four supported Rigathi's appointment.
On Saturday, May 14, the Kenya Kwanza Alliance principals and allied members gathered at Ruto's Karen residence for deliberations before the announcement, but the meeting, which began in the morning stretched late into the evening as an impasse built up.
Later in the day, both Rigathi and Kindiki left Ruto's residence to allow the 40 MPs from the vote-rich region to reach a resolution, that would ultimately front a Ruto-Rigathi ticket.
4. Taifa Leo
Ruto Acheza Pata Potea- According to Taifa leo Newspaper headline, some supporters of Deputy president William Ruto are Complaining that Rigathi Gachagua is not popular and he is involved in many cases of corruption and this will be used by other competitors to attack and Weaken them.
The publication delved into yet again another running mate headache in the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition.
With all indications pointing at Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua as the coalition's most preferred running mate, Wiper Party's
Kalonzo Musyokaseeks to withdraw from the President Uhuru Kenyatta-backed coalition.
On Sunday, the former vice president through his party said that he would move to court to withdraw from Azimio One Kenya after noticing there were no prospects of him being nominated as the formation's running mate.
Makueni MP Dan Maanzo said that the party’s NEC gave them the green light to move to High Court on Monday, May 16, after talks with other Azimio principles failed.
Maanzo said that Kalonzo was in the presidential race and he would be picking his running mate after the court's determination on the matter.
The MP said that the only reason why Kalonzo withdrew his presidential ambitions was to be ODM leader Raila Odinga's running mate.
"Now that it seems from the indications so far Raila no longer wishes to work with Kalonzo Musyoka, it is clear that there would be no Raila without Kalonzo; he will lose big,"
"Because the agreement of Azimio OKA had little issues, we as Wiper and its lawyers are approaching High Court tomorrow morning seeking to impeach the agreement of Azimio OKA," said Maanzo.
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