•However, his fortunes appear to be changing as influential leaders who had promised to back his bid backtracked.
•While some persuasive politicians and business tycoons have endorsed Raila, others are oscillating around Deputy President William Ruto.
Image: JUSTIN MUTURI/TWITTER ACCOUNT
National Assembly Speaker and presidential hopeful Justin Muturi faces an uphill task in his bid to solidify his backyard as President Uhuru Kenyatta moves to market Raila Odinga in Mt Kenya.
Muturi, who was recently endorsed as Mt Kenya spokesman, an influential position to ostensibly lock the region, has apparently been isolated by top guns from his Mt Kenya East home turf.
Mt Kenya East comprises Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi counties.
The speaker has declared interest in the country’s top seat and has been meeting leaders from the region and traversing the country popularising his bid.
However, his fortunes appear to be changing as influential leaders who had promised to back his bid backtracked.
While some persuasive politicians and business tycoons have endorsed Raila, others are oscillating around Deputy President William Ruto.
On Thursday, political heavyweights and business tycoons from Meru endorsed Raila for president in a historic gesture seen to have been orchestrated by the President.
In a meeting held at Safari Park Hotel, Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi, who recently supported Muturi’s bid, and Lapsset board chairman Titus Ibui led the powerful delegation in endorsing the ODM boss.
In a U-turn that could puncture Muturi’s bid to unify his backyard as a launching pad to his presidential ambitions, Murungi showered the former prime minister with praises, describing him as a strategist, realistic and a man of focus.
Those demons which we planted, the crocodiles which we put in the rivers, we are going to remove them so that you take the people to CanaanMeru Governor Kiraitu Murungi
“Raila is a strategist, a man of ideas, energy, focus and determination. He knows more history than historians although he is an engineer,” Kiraitu said.
Other powerful and influential leaders from the county who attended the meeting were former Education assistant minister Kilemi Mwiria, former PS Mutea Iringo, Igembe North MP and National Assembly Deputy Whip Maoka Maore and acting Nairobi Governor Anne Kananu.
The endorsement came days after the President held a closed-door meeting with the leaders at State House in Nairobi.
Sources indicated that Uhuru implored the leaders to back Raila for president in next year’s general election.
Agriculture CS Peter Munya, who enjoys a massive political following in the county, and is already in the President’s camp is said to be crucial in solidifying the region behind Raila.
Raila has for decades struggled to penetrate Mt Kenya with Kiraitu admitting during the meeting that he played a role in planting Raila phobia in the vote-rich region.
“Those demons which we planted, the crocodiles which we put in the rivers, we are going to remove them so that you take the people to Canaan,” Kiraitu said.
“We are the ones who demonized this man so that Kibaki and Uhuru could win. There is nothing wrong with Raila.”
There are indications that another governor from Mt Kenya will soon declare his support for Raila.
Other influential leaders from the region including Meru Senator Mithika Linturi, his Tharaka Nithi counterpart Kithure Kindiki and some MPs have declared support for the DP, leaving Muturi an isolated man.
Ruto has frequented and hosted delegations from the region, gaining grassroots support as he gears up for the Presidential duel next year.
Political pundits observe that Muturi had anchored his bid on support from Mt Kenya East.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris