• Ruto allies have formed teams to mobilise voters at the ward level.
• Rift Valley has about 5.3 million registered voters and Mandago said they target to harvest all of them for UDA.
Image: BY MATHEWS NDANYI
Deputy President William Ruto’s allies are pushing for high voter turnout in the Rift Valley region.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago said the number of those who will vote will determine the winner of the presidential election.
He said UDA candidates have no option but to marshal the voters to come out and vote.
“In the remaining few days we will deploy all means be it door-to-door, roadshows or use of media to ensure all voters in this region come out to vote for DP Ruto and Kenya Kwanza candidates,” Mandago said.
Ruto allies have formed teams to mobilise voters at the ward level.
“We have to stand with DP Ruto by giving him all the support he needs to win the presidency,” Mandago said during campaigns in Kapseret.
Mandago is running for the Senate seat in Uasin Gishu after completing two terms as governor.
Other UDA candidates mobilising residents to turn out and vote include governor candidates Governor Stephen Sang (Nandi), Uasin Gishu's Jonathan Bii and Wesley Rotich (Elgeyo Marakwet).
Rift Valley has about 5.3 million registered voters and Mandago said they target to harvest all of them for UDA.
Ruto is expected to wrap up his campaign in the region with a major rally in Eldoret town this week.
The Eldoret rally will also be a prayer meeting for Kenya Kwanza team ahead of the election.
Ruto allies are also pushing for six-piece voting for UDA candidates.
The move follows a strong challenge by independent candidates in most areas.
There has been wide resistance against six-piece voting in Elgeyo Marakwet county.
“We are asking our people in this region to vote for UDA candidates because we believe DP Ruto will form the next government and he needs enough footsoldiers to implement the bottom-up agenda,” Mandago said.
More than 200 independents are vying for governor, senator, woman rep, MP and MCA in Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.
The candidates include businessman Bundotich Buzeki, Cleophas Lagat, Samson Changwony and Stanley Kiptis for governor in Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet and Baringo respectively.
MP seats where independent candidates pose a serious threat to UDA men include Nandi Hills, Kesses, Moiben, Mosop, Soy and Marakwet West.
Mandago, Uasin Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Shollei and UDA governor candidate Jonathan Bii urged Kesses residents to vote for UDA candidate Julius Ruto and reject MP Swarrup Mishra.
They also campaigned against Buzeki and Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga.