Opposition chief Raila Odinga yesterday called on residents of Mt Kenya East to trust him with State House tenancy after President Uhuru Kenyatta retires next year,  saying he was the best-placed to fix the region’s problems. 

In his whirlwind tour of Meru, Tharaka Nithi and Embu, he  maintained his administration would seek new markets for ‘miraa’ and mogoka for region.

Raila in rallying the electorate to support his presidential ambitions, said that the residents of Kareri, Nkubu, Chuka, Embu who  will be provided with seeds, fertilizers for both small scale and large scale farmers.

“We have talked with the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya about the reforms in the agricultural sector to help both small and large scale sectors.

There is so much we have planned to do to ensure that our farmers are helped,” said Raila.

In his second day of the tour of Upper East, Raila reminded the residents that during the Grand Coalition government with President Mwai Kibaki, they initiated the Vision 2030 and designed roads in the entire Mount Kenya region.

He said that his administration will ensure that Grand Falls in Mutonga area in Tharaka Nithi County and create a big irrigation scheme to boost food security and prevent flooding in Garissa and Tana River.

The former Prime Minister said area leaders such as governor Kiraitu Murungi, former Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara were in the trenches fighting for multiparty democracy.

Second liberation

He said that although there has been first and second liberation, the third liberation will be on economic revolution, so that every child can get equal opportunity.

“The third liberation is the economic revolution. Every child should get equal opportunity so that once they finish their studies, they are able to get jobs in the Education sector, electronics, Mechanics and such like jobs and not wheelbarrow,” he charged.

Raila further told the crowd that Agricultural production must be made to prosper and create wealth to all the farmers, adding that youths should also be given incentives to enable them start up their businesses and create self-employment.

He also maintained that his administration would help poor and vulnerable families with Sh6,000 per month under the Social Protection Fund.

On their part, local politicians led by Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki, Kiraitu  (Meru), Martin Wambora (Embu), Francis Kimemia (Nyandarua) and Ndiritu Muriithi (Laikipia) asked Raila not to forget about the development of Mount Kenya East should he ascend the presidency.

Murungi in drumming up support for Raila, charged that the former premier was man with a lot of energy, a focused person and very bright, strategist and fearless fighter.

“We are not following Raila foolishly. He is a man with a lot of energy, a very focused person, very bright, a strategist and fearless fighter.

I have worked with him and I can confirm that he is a professional who can steer the country in the right direction,” said Murungi.

No Referendum

Murungi, the former Meru Senator said that there is no need for a referendum to implement some of the provisions contained in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) such as the creation of the Youth fund, Ward Fund and the allocation of at least 35 per cent of the National Revenue to go the devolved units.

He challenged Kieni MP Kanini Kega who is also the National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee chair to initiate a bill that will ensure youth fund, ward fund and county allocation is implemented.

“We don’t want lies. We want Kega to bring a bill so that some of the things that don’t require a referendum to be dealt with before the next general elections,” he said.

The Meru boss who has revived his old party –Alliance Party of Kenya popularly known as the ‘Mbus’, said that more money should come to the grass-root to spur economic development, adding that if BBI passed, Meru County would be getting an additional Sh6 billion.

Wambora who is the Council of Governors (COG) chairman hit out at National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) principals as those just seeking attention and will not go anywhere if they do not work with Raila.