Raila says Azimio aspirants to be subjected to opinion polls

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga has insisted that all aspirants under the coalition will be subjected to opinion polls to ascertain their popularity before allowing them to fly the Azimio flag in the August elections.

"We (Azimio) would have wanted to have a single candidate in every constituency, but we have agreed to allow three or four candidates and let them campaign for a month and a half until June then we will do an opinion poll to see who is more popular," said Odinga.

According to Mr. Odinga, fielding popular candidates will automatically earn the coalition a win instead of allowing all candidates to run and split the votes. 

Odinga, who was addressing aspirants in Naivasha, said the strategy is meant to ensure they defeat their political rivals in the key political battlegrounds.

"We will agree with those who are not popular to step aside so that we don't divide our votes and allow our rivals to defeat us... Even if you are 10 candidates, only one person will win," said Odinga.

He, however, implored all aspirants under the Azimio coalition to go to the grassroots to campaign for the coalition and sell its agenda. Mr. Odinga also urged aspirants who lost during primaries to remain in the coalition, adding that there is an elaborate plan to accommodate them after the elections.

The ODM party leader was flanked by area governor Lee Kinyanjui, former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, former cabinet secretary Sicily Kariuki among other leaders.