Azimio leader Raila Odinga yesterday stepped up his efforts to galvanise support from regions that traditionally supported him but voted for President William Ruto in the last election.

Raila welcomed scores of Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) party officials at Orange House in Nairobi. The officials had defected from the party to his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.

He accused Senate Speaker Amason Kingi of using the PAA Party for selfish gains in the pretext of fighting for interests of coastal residents.

“Kingi formed the PAA Party to champion his own interests instead of fighting for the interests of coastal residents as he alleged during its formation,” said Raila.

Several discussions

The ODM Party Leader stated that he held several discussions to dissuade Kingi against forming the party because he knew it would not benefit coastal residents who have had long standing historical injustices which they want addressed.

“I was against the formation of PAA and even had up to five hours of meetings in former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho’s residence in Nairobi over it, “said Raila.

The Opposition leader announced that he would be camping at the coast region next week in his continued party recruitment drive across the country.

Raila is expected to tour coastal counties of Kilifi, Kwale, Mombasa and Taifa Taveta to undo gains made by Ruto’s UDA Party that has conducted recruitment drives in the region.

“Next week I will be in the coastal region to meet the residents and I know we are going to receive more defectors to our party because Kenyans are tired of lies peddled by Ruto and his allies, “said Raila.

The PAA Party which is headed by Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has strong backing at the coast and is supporting the Kenya Kwanza administration.  “Today this is a very big boost to our party because Kilifi and the entire coast has been our political bastion for a very long time, “said Raila.

Accompanied by Kilifi County ODM Party officials led by Kilifi Senator Stephen Madzayo, the defectors who were majorly former ward representatives from Kilifi County said they defected following Kingi’s betrayal.

Huge boost

ODM Secretary General Edwin said the party has gotten a huge boost following the defections and added that this was a clear indication that parties that abandoned Azimio to join Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration have gotten a raw deal.

“The defections are a clear indication that Raila Odinga and ODM Party are the future of this country. It is now clearer that those party leaders who dumped us to back Ruto had selfish interests,” said Sifuna.

Former Ganda Ward MCA Reuben Katana accused Kingi of being insincere in his backing of Ruto. “We never knew that Kingi’s intention was to get a post from Ruto’s government when he urged us to abandon ODM and support his newly formed party, “said Katana.

The receiving of the defectors from PAA Party comes even as Raila concluded a tour of western counties where his party organised rallies and met officials alongside defectors from other rival parties.

The Pamoja African Alliance managed to scoop three MP seats and 17 MCA seats across the country. It scooped seven MCA seats in Kilifi county assembly, four in Kwale county, five in Taita Taveta county and an MCA seat in Malava ward, Kakamega county.

The party, which signed an agreement to support the Kenya Kwanza Alliance presidential candidate William Ruto. Former Kilifi governor Amason Kingi, who is PAA leader, was elected Senate Speaker, becoming the first Kenyan from the Coast to occupy the seat.

Kingi has said that the purpose of forming the Pamoja African Alliance Party (PAA) is to set a strong regional base ahead of his 2027 presidential ambition. Kingi said the region is strategizing on how to consolidate its votes in a regional party. Party has maintained it will field candidates for all other political positions.

Kingi fell out with Raila following his push for the formation of the Coast-rooted political outfit but has declared to support the latter’s presidential bid.