National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale speaking during a Somali community forum at Jubilee Hall in Mombasa County. Photo By John Chesoli.
By ABDULHAKIM SHERMAN
newsdesk@reporter.co.ke
Jubilee Party would celebrate if the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) leader Raila Odinga, appoints Governor Hassan Joho, as his running mate.
National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale said Mr Odinga should listen to demands by his supporters to have Mr Joho as his running mate.
“Us in Jubliee Party would celebrate if Mr Odinga picks Mr Joho as his running mate in next year’s presidential race,” Mr Duale who was speaking in Mombasa said.
During an ODM meeting in Kisumu over the weekend a group of the party supporters demanded that Mr Odinga should consider Governor Joho as his running mate.
However, Mr Odinga said that decision would be made at the most opportune time.
Mr Duale said if Cord wants Jubilee Party not to have “a contest in 2017 General Election” they should make Mr Joho the deputy presidential candidate.
“ODM lawmakers should stop misleading Mr Joho in his political ambition,” he said.
Mr Duale refuted claims they are scared of Mr Joho‘s political aggressiveness arguing that they just want to face tough opponents in next year’s polls.
He spoke during a Somali community forum at Jubilee Hall in Mombasa County.
The majority leader urged Cord to be serious before picking their presidential candidate to face the Jubilee Party candidate.
He wondered how Cord could ever prefer Mr Joho to former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka who had more votes to offer.
“Raila should just count himself out of politics if he takes Joho as his running mate in the 2017 polls,” he boasted.
The majority leader said Cord co-principal Moses Wetangula is even a better choice than Mr Joho arguing that the former cabinet minister “has at least something better to offer”.
He argued that to endorse Mr Joho’s as Mr Odinga’s running mate would be a political mockery.
He vowed to rally behind Mombasa businessman Abdi Daib who wants to vie for the Changamwe parliamentary seat on a Jubilee ticket.
 

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale with businessman Abdi Daib who wants to vie for the Changamwe parliamentary seat on a Jubilee ticket.