Murang’a governor Mwangi wa Iria’s Usawa Kwa Wote party targets more than six million members in its recruitment drive ahead of the next general election.
Wa Iria on Saturday said they seek to unite the vote-rich Mt Kenya region, which has of late been fragmented politically, and ensure it continues voting as a bloc. He, however, said they are not a regional party, hence they will recruit members from all parts of the country even as they popularise the outfit.
The governor said registration is ongoing in several other counties, with tens of thousands of people already listed. Each day, the party disburses about 100,000 registration forms to the counties, he said.
Wa Iria's two terms as governor will end next year. He is, therefore, positioning himself as a national leader and has declared his interest in the presidency. His main legacy in the county will be his multibillion-shilling One home One Cow programme that has seen farmers receive a constant Sh35 a litre for their milk.
Usawa Kwa Wote's party symbol is a cow, an indication that Wa Iria puts a premium on the dairy projects he initiated for Murang'a residents in an effort to fight poverty.
“A dairy cow is a small-scale farmer’s kiosk. With it, one can make some income to support themselves and their families. A cow provides milk, manure for farming and eventually beef,” Wa Iria said. He was addressing farmers at Mukuyu shopping centre near Murang’a town where more than 10 residents went home with calves.
Wa Iria said he will ensure his dairy project is rolled out countrywide. It was launched in 2015. It creates livelihoods for destitute families so that they have a source of income from which to unshackle themselves from the yoke of poverty.
The governor said the mission of the party is to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor by empowering low-income earners.
“As the name suggests, Usawa Kwa Wote party aims at levelling the ground for Kenyans from all walks of life,” he said.
He appealed to Kenyans to support the party but quickly added that he is not targeting material support. His target is to acquire as many dairy cows as possible for poor families, he said.
The party will field candidates in all elective positions from the ward to the national level and nominations will be held for seats that attract many candidates.
“I have already announced my aspirations to vie for the presidency and I will use Usawa Kwa Wote party. We are inviting other like-minded leaders to join us and help steer this country forward,” he said.
Wa Iria said his Wachuuzi Sacco will empower small-scale traders by providing them with subsidised credit to help them start or expand their businesses.
He established the Sacco last year to empower more than 40,000 youths that undertook free technical courses in local polytechnics.
The governor previously said it is time Murang'a produced a president after decades of supporting candidates from other counties. He said no other leader from the county has joined the race for presidency since the late Kenneth Matiba’s unsuccessful bid in 1992.
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, another Mt Kenya region politician, has also announced that he will vie for the presidency.
Muturi said he has the skills to take over from President Uhuru Kenyatta and pledged to fight corruption. His candidature has, however, split the Mt Kenya region into east and west, with eastern leaders saying it is time the westerners returned the favour and supported Muturi.
Besides Wa Iria, Mt Kenya west also has other presidential aspirants, including former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri and former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth.
Presidential hopefuls from outside Mt Kenya have also been seeking the region's support. They include Machakos governor Alfred Mutua of Maendeleo Chap Chap party, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his ANC counterpart Musalia Mudavadi.
Edited by F'Orieny
