Raila with Central Kenya leaders.

The Azimio running mate selection panel has added four politicians into the shortlist with 2 days remaining before tabling their results to Azimio la Umoja flag bearer Raila Odinga.

In a press statement issued on Saturday May 7, the panel has added the names of NARC party leader Charity Ngilu, CS Agriculture Peter Munya, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and his Nakuru counterpart Lee Kinyanjui.

In a statement released by the Raila Odinga presidential secretariat’s press secretary, Dennis Onsarigo, the committee entrusted with finding a suitable running mate for Raila claimed that the change is the result of objections from constituent parties of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party.

“After the release of the press statement reporting the progress of the work of the panel, the panel received various complaints from nominating parties who said their applications had not been considered and their candidates had been unfairly locked out,” the statement read in part.

According to the panel led by Noah Wekesa, it was established that certain applications had been filed to the Campaign Secretariat but were not submitted before it.

The circumstance forced a reconsideration of the initial shortlist of seven nominees.

The panel also stated that it has finalized the criteria and methods that will be used to review the applications received and to select the best three candidates, whose names would be submitted to Raila Odinga.

The politicians who had been shortlisted earlier include Kalonzo Musyoka, Sabina Chege, Peter Kenneth, Martha Karua, Hassan Joho, Gideon Moi and Stephen Tarus.