Narc-Kenya party leader Martha Karua has dismissed Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka's remarks about succeeding coalition leader Raila Odinga if he is elected Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
Odinga is vying to succeed Chad's Moussa Faki as chairman of the African Union's executive body when his tenure ends next year. He has received eight presidential endorsements thus far.
Musyoka has been making public statements about his willingness and aptitude to take over the leadership of Azimio, the umbrella coalition to which his and Karua's parties belong.
In a Daily Nation interview published Thursday, Karua stated that who should follow the Azimio leader if he wins the Addis Ababa-based AUC position is out of the question because she is the coalition's deputy.
“If I’m the deputy, is that a question? Even in small organisations like a school, when the headmaster goes to a meeting in Nairobi, who acts? It is the deputy,” the former justice minister told the newspaper.
"If we are unable to follow simple basic rules, then something is very wrong with us."
Kalonzo has been cited as suggesting he will be President William Ruto's primary rival by 2027 and is qualified to head Azimio.
"Before His Excellency Raila's bid for AUC, we all agreed to build your party, as the strength of the party is the strength of Azimio." He did a great job developing ODM, and I'm following in his footsteps by building Narc Kenya. "That is my main task right now," Karua told the Daily Nation.
Musyoka stated that Karua's section of Mount Kenya area leaders inside Azimio, the Kamwene Caucus, is a dead idea; the Narc-Kenya leader said she will not back down.