- VDP leader Hezron Awiti says the party is a 'child' of ODM and will support Raila's candidacy.
- On Saturday evening, Awiti told Luo professionals in Mombasa they are working out a partnership deal with ODM with a view to helping Raila get at least 1.8 million votes on the Coast.
Vibrant Democratic Party is in talks with ODM for a possible partnership.
VDP leader Hezron Awiti says the party is a 'child' of ODM and will do its part to ensure ODM leader Raila Odinga wins the presidency.
On Saturday evening, Awiti told Luo professionals in Mombasa they are working out a partnership deal with ODM with a view to helping Raila amass at least 1.8 million votes on the Coast.
"My party has no presidential candidate. We will support ODM's Raila, who is still our father even though we are from another mother," Awiti told the professionals in a meeting in one of the hotels in Nyali.
This was after he attended the ODM Coast delegates meeting under the Azimio la Umoja Forum. Raila had personally invited Awiti to the conference.
On Saturday morning, Raila and Awiti had talks at Raila’s Nyali home. The two are neighbours in Nyali.
“Awiti went to Baba’s house a few blocks away; they had breakfast together at around 8am," said a source close to Awiti.
Governors James Ongwae (Kisii), Granton Samboja (Taita Taveta) and Dhado Godhana (Tana River) joined them.
Raila then led the delegation to Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho’s house, also in Nyali, where they were joined by Devolution CAS Gideon Mung’aro.
There, they had further talks for about one and a half hours, before heading for the Wild Waters Complex conference.
This is seen as one of the moves that Raila is making to consolidate his Coast region support base.
Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi’s Pamoja African Alliance is one of the headaches that ODM has to contend with.
Kingi has been championing coastal unity under a Coast-based party to have more bargaining power.
Raila and Awiti have been close allies even though Awiti ditched ODM in 2013 and joined Wiper through which he won the Nyali MP seat.
In 2017, he ditched Wiper and formed VDP.
Raila on Saturday said he is interested in partnerships, not following.
"We must bring all people together," the ODM boss said.
Sources in Awiti's camp said he is keen to see his party benefit in one way or another should Raila win the presidency in 2022.
"Awiti is keen to field candidates in other elective positions but not the presidency," the source said.
To help Raila win votes, Awiti is setting up centres where youth young people are helped to register for national ID and voter's cards.
"We need your help to get our youth to register as voters and vote in 2022," Awiti told the Luo professionals.
The Luo professionals in Mombasa, led by chairman Pius Oketch and member Henry Oduor, have been tasked with ensuring as many youths as possible register as voters.
The target is to ensure there is at least 80 per cent voter turnout, especially by the youth.
"We cannot be pushing for Raila to win without numbers. We must have numbers," Oketch said.
Engineer Oduor, a contractor in Mombasa, said the youth have been flocking to his offices looking for jobs.
"This is a manifestation of how desperate youth are. But with the good leaders, there will be no such problems," he said, adding that that can be changed if the youth turn out to vote in large numbers.
"And to vote, you have to register as voters with the IEBC. That is why the centres have been established to help the youth get IDs and register as voters."
Meanwhile, Awiti has kept supporters guessing which seat he is going for.
On Monday, he said he had yet to make a decision, despite meeting different groups across Mombasa county.
"People have divided opinions. Some say I should go for an MP seat, others say I should go for the governor seat.
"I am calm. I will announce which seat I will be going for in good time," said the former Nyali MP.