Raila set to begin 10-day political tour across Kenya
By evans.maritim, February 28, 2022Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader is set to begin 10-day political rallies across the country starting Wednesday, March 2.
This comes days after he was endorsed by the party as its flag bearer in the August 9 presidential election.
The tours will see the ODM leader visit nine counties as he seeks to consolidate his support base ahead of Azimio la Umoja Movement’s presidential candidate announcement on March 12 in Nairobi.
On Wednesday, Raila will kick off his campaign tour in Nakuru County before proceeding to Kisii and Nyamira (March 3), Bungoma and Busia (March 5), Machakos (March 5), Nyeri (March 6), Samburu (March 8), Wajir (March 9) and Kisumu (March 10).
He will, thereafter, grace Azimio Delegates Conference in Nairobi on March 12 where President Uhuru Kenyatta will be in attendance.
The President has since endorsed Raila as his preferred successor.
The Head of State on Saturday described Raila as a peaceful and forgiving statesman who consistently and tirelessly works hard for the peace, unity and progress of the Kenyan nation.
The President said that contrary to how he is portrayed by some of his political detractors, Raila had proved, over the years, to be a genuine leader who has the interests of the country at heart.
“It is not Raila who is a man of war. If he was a man of war he would have resisted any attempt at peace between him and (former President) Kibaki. If he was a man of war he would have resisted any attempts at making the handshake happen,” the President said.
The Head of State, who spoke at ODM National Delegates Conference (NDC) at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani in Nairobi County, blamed Kenya’s recurrent post-election political violence in the country to the country’s governance system which he said promotes the “winner takes it all”, excluding other political players.
He said the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) was aimed at curing the ineffective governance system by creating inclusivity.
The President said Raila had on many occasions sacrificed personal ambition for the sake of the country, terming the ODM leader as a peacemaker.
“I am not here because of Raila Amollo Odinga the politician. The politician is the man I have been in competition with for many years. I am here because of Raila Odinga the leader. Raila is a peacemaker. I am here because of Raila Amollo Odinga the leader. I am here to tell Kenyans that Raila is a peacemaker.
“A politician thinks of what he can get at that moment in time but a leader thinks of the country, the future of the people and their children’s children,” President Kenyatta said.
He added: “If Raila was a warmonger, he would still be agitating and protesting. A man who looks and understands the causes of violence is a peacemaker. I want to dissuade Kenyans from the perception that Raila loves war. Raila is a peacemaker,” President Kenyatta said, adding that Mr Odinga was not anyone’s political project.