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WHAT RIGATHI & SIFUNA'S MEETING WAS ALL ABOUT · PONDIS PODCAST

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  Speaker 1: We filter the noise We tell you what is true.
• 0:07
  Speaker 2: We tell you what is.
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  Speaker 1: False We tell you who said what Where, when and
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: why In.
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  Speaker 2: The next six months We tell you who has the balls.
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: We bring the conversations to you and let you decide.
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  Speaker 3: This is Politics 101 on the Pondies Podcast.
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  Speaker 1: All right, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Politics 101 on
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  Speaker 1: the Pondies Podcast. My amazing name is Advidi Jakevo Pondies.
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: This is actually a new segment on the pod, you guys.
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  Speaker 1: I hope you enjoy, you guys. Playing on my band,
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  Speaker 1: that is John DeMarco Ngomane, ito Njata Yakwa. Yo, Nili Sema,
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  Speaker 1: this is where old radio meets modern podcasting. Welcome to
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  Speaker 1: Politics 101. It was Mnotena Sana.
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  Speaker 2: Risa, when you're ready, I'm ready.
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  Speaker 4: I'm ready.
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  Speaker 2: I'm super duper excited.
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  Speaker 1: Yo, this is actually our first episode over Politics 101. Yo,
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  Speaker 1: mta penda. I stand to stand up by the way
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  Speaker 1: for the support. You guys are super duper amazing. And today,
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  Speaker 1: as we are recording this, it's actually October 21st of 2026,
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  Speaker 1: you guys. Najana, October 20th, ilikuwa Mashuja Day. As we
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  Speaker 1: were celebrating Mashuja Day, ladies and gentlemen, we had very
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  Speaker 1: important news.
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  Speaker 2: Very important.
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  Speaker 1: When I say very important, I mean very, very important happenings.
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  Speaker 1: We saw this actually came as a surprise because most
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  Speaker 1: people never expected Rigi G and Sifuna to hold a
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  Speaker 1: meeting that soon, you guys. So this actually came as
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  Speaker 1: a surprise. And today on the Politics 101, I'm here
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  Speaker 1: to give you everything you need to know about the
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  Speaker 1: meeting between His Excellencies Edwin Sifuna and Rigidi Yashagua. Are
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  Speaker 1: you ready for this? So, my friends, Rigidi was actually
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  Speaker 1: out of the country. He was there taking a small
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  Speaker 1: tour outside the country. And he landed actually in the
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  Speaker 1: country on October 20th of 2026. One important, very important
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  Speaker 1: meeting happened after Rigidi landed. So today I want to
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  Speaker 1: give you everything that you need to know about what
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  Speaker 1: went down, how, I've got you covered. So the meeting
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  Speaker 1: between Nairobi Senator His Excellency Edwin Sifuna and former DP
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  Speaker 1: His Excellency Rigathi Gashagua is one of the most significant
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  Speaker 1: opposition developments ahead of the Kenya's 2027 general election. The
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  Speaker 1: two political figures met on Tuesday, 20th October 2026 at
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  Speaker 1: Gashagua's Wamunyoro residence in Nyeri County, shortly after Gashagua returned
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  Speaker 1: from a lengthy visit to the United States. The big
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  Speaker 1: question is whether this was simply a courtesy visit or
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  Speaker 1: the beginning of a political alliance that could reshape the
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  Speaker 1: race against President William Ruto. Reports indicate that the meeting
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  Speaker 1: went beyond a social visit, although some important details remain unconfirmed.
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  Speaker 1: Number one, what exactly happened? And this is what we
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  Speaker 1: are all curious about. Gashango welcomed Sifuna and leaders associated
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  Speaker 1: with the Linda Monainchi movement to his home in Wamunyoro, Nyeri.
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  Speaker 1: The meeting came hours later. After Gachagua returned to Kenya
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  Speaker 1: from the United States, both sides publicly signaled an interest
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  Speaker 1: in greater cooperation among opposition leaders. The discussions took place
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  Speaker 1: against the backdrop of preparations for the August 2027 general elections.
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  Speaker 1: Gashago actually welcomed the delegations on social media and he
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  Speaker 1: referred to them as his cousins from Linda Monainchi and
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  Speaker 1: he expressed optimism about what they could achieve together. Sifuna
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  Speaker 1: in return thanked Yashagwa and his wife, Pastor Dorcas Yashagwa,
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  Speaker 1: for hosting the group. He indicated that he expected the
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  Speaker 1: engagement to be the first of several meetings. The last
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  Speaker 1: point is particularly important. The meeting appears to have opened
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  Speaker 1: a door for further negotiations rather than a concluded political deal.
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  Speaker 1: Who attended the meeting? Ladies and gentlemen, we had a
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  Speaker 1: lot of leaders who accompanied His Excellency Watenya Edwin Sifuna. So,
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  Speaker 1: we had Rikiji himself and the wife of His Excellency
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  Speaker 1: Dorcas Gashagua. So, in attendance, there was obviously DP, the
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  Speaker 1: People's DP, and the We had, obviously, the president, the Sikh,
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  Speaker 1: Edwin Watanya Sifuna, His Excellency Edwin Watanya Sifuna, who actually
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  Speaker 1: was leading the Linda Monainchi Brigade. Again, we had Babu Owino,
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  Speaker 1: that is the Embarkasi East MP and a prominent politician
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  Speaker 1: associated with Linda Monainchi. And in case you don't know,
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  Speaker 1: Babu is going for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat. We had
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  Speaker 1: Governor George Notembea, of Transwayer. We had Senator Godfrey Osotsi,
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  Speaker 1: Godfrey Osotsi of Wehiga County. Then Senator Buni Kaliwele of
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  Speaker 1: Kakamega County. We had Pauline Njoroge, that is the communication
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  Speaker 1: figure associated with Linda Monainchi. Then we had Cleophas Malala,
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  Speaker 1: that is the DCP party leader, who has publicly advocated
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  Speaker 1: cooperation between Gashagua and Sifuna. Then we had John Methu,
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  Speaker 1: the SG of DCP party.
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  Speaker 2: You guys.
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  Speaker 1: Other leaders in attendance, Senators Joe Nyotu, John Kinyua, Seki Lenku,
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  Speaker 1: as well as former Star MP, Maina Kamanda. Then we
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  Speaker 1: had nominated Senator... Why am I forgetting a name? Okay,
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  Speaker 1: I'll remember the name. Asigi. I'm not sure if it's
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  Speaker 1: Asigi or Masigi, that nominated Senator. So, what did they
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  Speaker 1: actually discuss? 1. Opposition unity. Both sides have indicated that
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  Speaker 1: they want further engagements between opposition leaders. Sifuna described the
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  Speaker 1: meeting as the first of many, while Gashagua emphasized the
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  Speaker 1: importance of working together. 2. challenging President William Ruto in 2027.
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  Speaker 1: That is what they discussed. The meeting took place as
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  Speaker 1: opposition groups considered how to coordinate their campaigns against President
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  Speaker 1: William Ruto. A major challenge is agreeing on a single
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  Speaker 1: presidential candidate. Uh... What other thing did they discuss? They
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  Speaker 1: discussed the presidential ticket. Reports by Citizen Digital says the
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  Speaker 1: wider discussions have centered on three possible opposition contenders. The
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  Speaker 1: eventual candidate is reportedly expected to be determined in 2027.
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  Speaker 1: Another thing that they discussed, ethnicity and national politics. Dashagwa
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  Speaker 1: also pushed back against claims that the emerging political cooperation
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  Speaker 1: was tribal. He argued that political alliances should be based
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  Speaker 1: on a common national purpose rather than ethnic identity. Number four,
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  Speaker 1: let's look at the biggest revelation. And this is something
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  Speaker 1: that came about in September where Rigji said openly that
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  Speaker 1: he can or he's open to deputizing Sifuna. He said
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  Speaker 1: this is actually a kiuwa maju. Producer, you can play
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  Speaker 1: the clip. We'll listen in. Then we come back to
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  Speaker 1: pick a discussion. Then tuchambuai deadly what the meeting was about.
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  Speaker 1: Nanini possibly ineza happen kwa United Oppositions. The United Opposition. Producer,
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  Speaker 1: you can play it.
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  Speaker 4: When you're ready. Let me explain. We are very serious
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  Speaker 4: presidential candidates. And Sifuna is one of them. Yeah.
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  Speaker 5: Rigi Gihia is a serious candidate. My cousin Kalonso Musioka
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  Speaker 5: is a serious candidate. And we can give to anybody,
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  Speaker 5: including Sifuna. I saw that man called Atoli. He's having
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  Speaker 5: challenges of senility.
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  Speaker 4: And what is it called? Dementia.
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  Speaker 5: Sasa, Anambia Sifuna, that he's too young to be president,
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  Speaker 5: he should wait. I want to tell that Mzee. Sifuna
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  Speaker 5: is above 18. The guy is 44 years. President Obama
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  Speaker 5: was elected President of the United States at 47. President
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  Speaker 5: Roosevelt of the United States was elected President at the
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  Speaker 5: age of 42. Even at the age of 42, you
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  Speaker 5: can govern a country as large as the United States.
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  Speaker 2: At 44, Kenya is what?
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  Speaker 5: So I have told my younger brother, Edwin Sifuna, don't
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  Speaker 5: be discouraged by anybody.
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  Speaker 4: Go for it.
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  Speaker 5: If you persuade us that you are the best person
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  Speaker 5: to take you home, we will give you.
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  Speaker 2: So what is this?
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  Speaker 1: It's no problem. Ladies and gentlemen, that is Rigi in September. Actually,
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  Speaker 1: Rigi publicly said he would be willing to serve as
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  Speaker 1: Sifuna's running mate if political calculations showed that Sifuna was
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  Speaker 1: the strongest candidate to defeat Ruto. So, that creates three
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  Speaker 1: possible scenarios. Number one, Sifuna leads, Shagwa deputizes. this would
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  Speaker 1: be a major political development. You all know, particularly if
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  Speaker 1: Gashago could bring substantial Mount Kenya support to a ticket
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  Speaker 1: led by Sifuna. Number two scenario, Gashago leads, Sifuna supports him.
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  Speaker 1: Sifuna and his allies could negotiate a role in the
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  Speaker 1: coalition and its political agenda. Scenario number three, neither concedes early.
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  Speaker 1: Both camps could continue building support before negotiating a joint ticket. So,
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  Speaker 1: ladies and gentlemen, meeting LA was very important. And the
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  Speaker 1: last bit here, political 101, I want us to look
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  Speaker 1: at why this meeting mattered politically, how why it matters politically.
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  Speaker 1: Number one, it brings different voting blocs together. There is
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  Speaker 1: the Western Kenya, Mount Kenya, Plus, Sifuna has visibility in
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  Speaker 1: Nairobi and, you know, wide opposition and a lot of
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  Speaker 1: young votes. Number two, this meeting matters politically because it
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  Speaker 1: reduces competition within the opposition. Number three, it increases Sifuna's
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  Speaker 1: national profile. Number four, it strengthens Gashago's coalition building efforts. So,
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  Speaker 1: the big question after today's meeting is, where does Kalonzo
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  Speaker 1: fit in? Kalonzo is another major factor in the opposition calculations.
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  Speaker 1: And so, where does he fit in? Sasawa, that is
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  Speaker 1: a big question. So, we have a few central questions, Harper.
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  Speaker 1: Between the three, we're talking about Rigedi Yashagua, Edwin Sifuna,
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  Speaker 1: and Kalonzo Musioka, who was the strongest national support? That
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  Speaker 1: is question number one. Number two, who would make the
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  Speaker 1: most effective presidential candidate? Number three, how would the running
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  Speaker 1: mate position be decided? Number four, would all the major
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  Speaker 1: opposition camps accept the same candidates? Number five, what happens
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  Speaker 1: if one leader decides refuses to step aside. Ladies and gentlemen,
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  Speaker 1: those are the big questions that we need to ask.
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  Speaker 1: Another important aspect of today's meeting, we are asking, was
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  Speaker 1: Cleophas Malala responsible for bringing them together? Because Malala has
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  Speaker 1: publicly advocated Aga Shagua Sifuna partnership and has been involved
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  Speaker 1: in efforts to connect the two political camps. However, a
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  Speaker 1: report published yesterday On 21st October, says Alinda Monenchi's secretariat member,
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  Speaker 1: Abigail Yekonyo, disputed claims that Malala brokered the meeting, arguing
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  Speaker 1: that Sifuna had direct access to Gashagwa. That is actually
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  Speaker 1: what has been published on, actually today, as we speak.
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  Speaker 1: So what has actually been agreed? This is where it
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  Speaker 1: is important to separate facts from political speculations.
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  Speaker 2: Did they meet?
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  Speaker 1: Yes, they met on 20th October at Wamunyoro. Was opposition
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  Speaker 1: unity discussed? Yes. Are more meetings possible? Yes. Has Gashago
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  Speaker 1: said he will call Deputy Sifuna? Yes. Has a formal
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  Speaker 1: Sifuna-Gashago coalition been announced? No public formal agreement was reported.
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  Speaker 1: Has the presidential candidate been settled?
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  Speaker 4: No.
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  Speaker 1: Has a final presidential or deputy presidential ticket been confirmed?
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  Speaker 2: No.
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  Speaker 1: So what should Kenyans watch next? The next development will
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  Speaker 1: reveal whether this meeting leads a lasting political arrangement. A
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  Speaker 1: follow-up meeting with Kalonzo. This could indicate whether the talks
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  Speaker 1: are expanding into a broader opposition agreement.
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  Speaker 2: Number two.
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  Speaker 1: We're looking at joint rallies. If the two camps begin
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  Speaker 1: campaigning together, that will be a stronger signal of cooperation
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  Speaker 1: rather than photographs or friendly statements alone. Number three, an
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  Speaker 1: agreed selection process. Watch for a clear method for selecting
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  Speaker 1: the presidential candidate, indicating how competing ambitions will be resolved.
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  Speaker 1: Number four, a common political agenda. Number five, party and
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  Speaker 1: coalition arrangements. So ladies and gentlemen, what is the verdict
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  Speaker 1: of today's meeting? Here's my verdict. This is a meaningful
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  Speaker 1: opening for opposition unity. But the real test will be
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  Speaker 1: whether the leaders turn their discussions into a formal agreement
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  Speaker 1: and a workable joint campaign. So we are waiting to
• 16:44
  Speaker 1: see what today's meeting, yesterday's meeting between Rikiji and His
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: Excellency Sifuna, what it was about. Because actually most of
• 16:57
  Speaker 1: us are speculating. We had other speculations earlier on. that
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: Rigyathu Yashago is pushing for a Sifuna ticket and a
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  Speaker 1: John Matthew deputy ticket. So let's see what will unfold.
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: Ladies and gentlemen, that is the Politics 101 on the
• 17:16
  Speaker 1: Pondies podcast. You can call me VDJ Kepo Pondies, a.k.a.
• 17:19
  Speaker 1: Ulebo Uduftu Ozidu, a.k.a. Ulebo Emadakwa Likuona, against We Are
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: Out and About. Goodbye, God bless you all.
• 17:29
  Speaker 2: We filter the noise.
• 17:32
  Speaker 1: We tell you what is true.
• 17:35
  Speaker 2: We tell you what is false.
• 17:37
  Speaker 4: We tell you who said what.
• 17:39
  Speaker 2: Where, when and why. We tell you who has the balls.
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: We bring the conversations to you and let you decide.
• 17:57
  Speaker 3: This is Politics 101 on the Pondies Podcast.