Azimio’s Raila in Samburu, Karua woos Laikipia voters
Azimio-One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga yesterday took his campaigns to Samburu County where he dismissed Deputy President William Ruto’s remarks that he would set up a parallel tallying centre ahead of the August polls.
Odinga, who addressed a series of rallies in the region, said the DP has sensed defeat and has now resorted to diversionary tactics.
“Wacha kubabaika. Bwana ahadi (referring to Ruto’s pledges). Let’s meet at the ballot. Anatoa ahadi yenye aina maana. Alisema atajenga stadium kwa kila county. Mmeona stadium hapa Maralal (He is giving empty promises. He said he will build stadiums in all counties. Have you seen a stadium)?” Odinga said during rally at Kenyatta grounds in Maralal.
He also laughed off pledges by the DP that his government will set up jobs for the youth questioning why the same has not been fulfilled in the last 10 years where he has served as the second in command.
Odinga said that if elected, he will allocate more food to arid regions in a bid to alleviate perennial food shortages in the area.
“We will also come up with livestock insurance fund to compensate our farmers incase of calamities like drought. Mine will be a practical government not empty promises like our competitors,” said Odinga who was accompanied by several leaders.
Raila rallied support for Jubilee governorship candidate Richard Lesiyampe.
“We will vote for Azimio candidates from the presidency to the MCA level,” said Lesiyampe.
Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuda asked members of the Samburu community to reject handouts from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and vote for Raila.
“Our candidate will address the issues of insecurity, food security and education that affect our community,” said Lesuda.
Others at the meetings included former Water Cabinet secretary Sicily Kariuki, former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth and Nominated MP Maina Kamanda.
“We are asking Baba to ensure that the women of Samburu have access to clean water,” said Kariuki during a meeting in Wamba.
Raila expressed optimism that Azimio-One Kenya Alliance will win the election by a huge margin in the first round and told the DP to prepare for retirement.
Narok Senator Ledama Olekina assured the former premier that the Maa community was solidly behind him.
“Elect Raila and all the problems we are facing including drought and lack of water will be a thing of the past. He is the only one with our interests at heart,” said Olekina.
Raila’s running mate Martha Karua took her campaigns for Laikipia county where she implored on the Azimio candidates to settle on one candidate for the seat.
According to Karua, they will seek to agree on one candidate before the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) gazettes the names of the candidate on Thursday next week.
Pastoralist communities
Odinga is reaching out to pastoralist communities as he seeks to solidify his presidential bid with the latest opinion s putting him slightly ahead of his main challenger - Ruto.
The ODM leader said that Azimio-One Kenya Alliance is the only coalition with a development agenda for Kenyans and hit out at their opponents whom she said were only engaging in empty political rhetoric.
He also pledged that if elected, his administration will tackle runway insecurity in pastoralist regions.
“It will not be business as usual. We will not sit and watch as a few criminal elements terrorise innocent civilians,” said the ODM chief.
The former premier was in Isiolo county on Tuesday where he assured the pastoralist community that he has their interests at heart. The DP, on his part met with People Living with Disability in Nairobi County where he assured them that if elected he will take care on their interests.
Ruto’s running mate Rigathi Gachagua was in Nakuru county where he held a series of engagements in Shalom in Ole Rongai in Rongai constituency, Maili Kumi in Bahati constituency, Kabuki and Subukia Centre in Subukia constituency.
A day after Nakuru governor Lee Kinyajui admonished Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua ahead of his tour of Nakuru, the UDA presidential running mate has now hit back at the Governor accusing him of failing his residents.
