Nairobi News

Political aspirants in the Azimio coalition in Kakamega have threatened to walk out on Raila Odinga if he insists on zoning the region for his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.

Speaking at a press briefing in Kakamega, the aspirants affiliated with DAP-Kenya argued that the move to zone aspirants would hurt small parties, adding the move only favours Odinga.

Kakamega nominated Senator Naomi Shiyonga, who is vying for Kakamega woman representative position, said DAP-K aspirants agreed to support Odinga’s presidential bid but not zoning.

“We have a lot of respect for our leaders in Azimio, especially Raila and Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, but when it comes to a point of being asked to step down in favour of others we shall not accept because it’s not fair, and it’s unconstitutional,” she said.

“If we have accepted one of us to step down why can’t they allow there people to step down also, and we support each, but it can’t be us stepping down and others don’t,”she continued

Wafula Nabwera, a National Executive Committee (NEC) in DAP-K, asked Oparanya to keep off DAP-K affairs.

“If Raila wants us to vote for him as our fifth president, he should keep off DAP-K. If they compel our candidates to step down in the name of zoning, then they should expect the Western vote for his opponent in protest,” Nabwera said.

The political hopefuls have vowed ‘DAP-K will field candidates for all elective positions except for the president and governor’.

“DAP-K is a strong party that should not be weakened by the idea of zoning,” party county vice secretary Michel Khayisia said.

East Kabras MCA Lazarus Lucheveleli said Raila’s advisers are misleading him.

This comes a day after Lugari MP Ayub Savula stepped down in his bid to become Kakamega governor in favour of Fernandes Barasa.

Odinga is on the record asking his supporters to vote in ODM aspirants so that he doesn’t become a weak president without support from parliament and members of county assemblies.