Talk is rife in the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) to shop for a presidential candidate other than Raila Amolo Odinga who had three previous unsuccessful attempts at the presidency.
Names such as Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula and Amani coalition leader Musalia Mudavadi are being flouted as possible replacement for Raila as the opposition flag bearers to beat the incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta.
Raila, Mudavadi and Kalonzo had previously run for presidency that all came to naught.
The opposition is also talking of a super alliance that will rope in key opposition figures from various regions to dislodge Jubilee from power in the 2017 crucial general election.
But the coalition should not look further than Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho in settling for a possible compromise candidate.
Cord should not spend months and years dreaming about picking a presidential candidate and explore unlikely possible scenarios that could determine the 2017 election by picking unlikeliest candidates.
Picking the outspoken governor who is also ODMs deputy party leader would spare Cord the current headache of whom to choose between Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula and rope in Muslims and the Youth who are a large voting bloc.
The three political heavyweights should back the youthful governor who has matured politically to defeat President Uhuru Kenyatta in the forthcoming elections.
The fact that Mombasa recently hosted a huge successful rally to mark the 10th anniversary of the party and Mathare rally shows that the governor has the muscles to mount a serious presidential bid for the opposition to assume state power.
Handing the 39-year-old governor the ticket will be a wise move as his candidature will appeal to the youth, Muslims and majority of the voters who are tired of voting candidates from major rival ethnic communities like the Kamba, Luo and Luhya.
Joho who declared his interest as a presidential candidate in the race to state house in 2022 should be considered for the post in 2017 polls to offer a breath of fresh air to a grueling presidential election.
The youthful and assertive Mombasa governor can make a good and transformative president if elected and have the energy and the will to transform the country into a middle income economy as envisioned in the Vision 2030.
Joho who is a fierce critic of the Jubilee administration has served as the MP for Kisauni before being elected governor in 2013 general election and has delivered most of his election pledges.
He was also an assistant minister for Transport by former president Mwai Kibaki during the grand coalition government and has come of age politically and could bring a proven leadership to state house.
He is the boss of one of the most important cosmopolitan counties in the country who found the guts to rally residents against the bullying tactics of Jubilee diehards and the president in public.
The no-nonsense governor is politically battle hardened whose rise to the helm of coastal politics cannot be ignored. He even showed his mightiness and power by penetrating Nairobi political scene and outwit Nairobi ODM team by pulling a large crowd which has never happen before or tried by any opposition politician since multi party rallies of 1990s.
