Raila Nominates Kalonzo, Joho and Oparanya to Cabinet Positions

Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition presidential flagbearer Raila Odinga on Monday unveiled Nark-Kenya party leader Martha Karua as his running mate in the forthcoming elections.

Karua, a former Cabinet Minister and MP for Gichugu, will also serve as the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Constitutional Affairs if Odinga wins the presidency on August 9th.

"I am deeply honored by the decision to nominate me as the deputy president of the coalition. I am aware of the responsibility and this nomination is a collective honor that cannot be left for me alone to savor. It is a personal journey but also a national journey. We are going to do more in the area of social-economic rights. Together, we can finally bring to life the dreams deferred,” Karua said in her acceptance speech.

She also described her nomination to the position as a moment for the women of Kenya. 

“It is a moment that my grandmother would have been proud of...but she would not have been surprised because generations of women have fought for change. This is our moment as women of Kenya. It is also a moment for the men: they are our brothers and fathers,” she added.

Odinga, 77, also nominated Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka as the Chief Cabinet Secretary to help him form the Azimio government. Musyoka has since quit the Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition and announced he will contest for the presidency on August 9th, with Andrew Sunkuli as his running mate.

Raila further nominated former National Assembly speaker Kenneth Marende as the speaker of the Senate and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya as the Cabinet Secretary for Treasury.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya was nominated to the same position while Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho was nominated as the CS for Lands to deal with the land issues, especially at the coast.