The Maasai community from eight counties converged in Narok and passed what they termed as the fifth Suswa declaration to vote for Raila Odinga as the fifth president of Kenya in the August 9 polls.

The community leaders and the council of elders who led thousands of Maa community from Narok, Kajiado, Samburu, Nakuru, Laikipia, Marsabit, Isiolo and Baringo in the endorsement.

Their political, traditional and religious leaders led the ceremony and argued their choice for Odinga was informed by his will to protect the community’s rights to land ownership and would solve the longstanding historical Injustices meted against the community from the colonial time.

In the ceremony, the council of elders led by Maa council of elders national chairman Kelana Ole Nchoe held special traditional prayers for Odinga after dressing him in a Maasai traditional attires and handing him a leadership stick as a symbol of leadership and endorsement to the presidency.

The ceremony led by Narok county gubernatorial candidate Moitalel ole Kenta, and Kajiado governor Joseph Ole Lenku who is the Maasai community spokesman in Kenya the leaders reiterated Raila has demonstrated that he has the interests of the Maa community at heart and they can no longer gamble with their votes.

Lenku led the declaration saying the Maasai community has decided that they support Odinga and Martha Karua’s candidature with the over 1 million votes in their regions and send him to the state house to take over from president Uhuru Kenyatta as the next president.

“As Maa-speaking tribes we have made up our minds about who to vote for in the general election. And our choice is Raila Amolo Odinga of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance,” Lenku declared.

“We have put aside our political difference as Maa leaders to converge here and make sure we host and endorse Odinga as the community choice to come and help the community solve them,” he added.

Other Maasai leaders in the endorsement ceremony, were senator Ledama Ole Kina, CS Keriako Tobiko, PS Charles Ole Sunkuli, former PS for Environment Richard lesiambe, Andrew Ole Sunkuli, Former Kajiado governor Joseph Nkedianye, former GDC MD Johnston Ole Nchoe among a battery of candidates in different positions.

CS Tobiko denied claims that the Maa counties were contested as a swing vote region saying it is 100 per cent Azimio and Kenya Kwanza has no space in Maasai land.

Tobiko called on the community to distance themselves from DP Ruto.

He thanked the community for supporting his bid, promised to protect the Maasai Land and will delve into the Historical land injustice meted out against them by the previous government.

“In Laikipia, Naivasha, Nairobi, Uasin Ngishu in Eldoret were Maasai land but they have been misplaced and forced to the south according to Historical books,” Odinga said.

Raila Odinga promises to the Maa community

He praised the community for keeping its culture and its pride in the whole world. He promised to delve into the problems that are affecting the community saying he got a soft heart towards the community through the late cabinet minister William Ole Ntimama.

Odinga Promised to build a slaughterhouse for Narok county and other leather tannery factories when he takes over the government. He said land problems in the community like the 78,000 acres Kidong ranch.

He promised he will also resurrect the stalled SGR line stalled in Duka Moja in Narok and extend it to Narok, Nyamira and finally to Kisumu.

His Running mate Martha Karua said all is possible without corruption in Kenya which is the commitment of the Azimio la Umoja.

Leading the song, “yote Yawezekana bila wizi,’ Karua said Kenyans should be weary of the leaders who are implicated in corruption. He hit Deputy President William Ruto for continually abusing the president accusing him of lack of sobriety and being hot-tempered.

“Instead of going down and solving problems with your boss you are continually abusing him on political podiums, saying it is bad leadership qualities,” she said.

Other leaders who accompanied Odinga were Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka who echoed Karua’s sentiments and asked DP Ruto to ‘leave Kalonzo alone’ and should not use his name while campaigning in Kamba Counties to seek votes.