Raila in 10-rally Nyandarua campaign blitz

ODM leader Raila Odinga returned to the country on Thursday to a busy campaign schedule that will see the opposition chief making a tour to the vote-rich Mt Kenya region.

The former Prime Minister was out of the country for a week to the United Arabs Emirates where he was attending Africa Infrastructure conference.

He was accompanied by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed.

The former premier will take his campaign to Nyandarua county to mobilise support for his 2022 presidential bid.

He will be accompanied by a host of Mt Kenya leaders among them governors, MPs, senators as well as grassroots leaders.

Among the governors expected during the county tour includes Lee Kinyanjui (Nakuru), Francis Kimemia (Nyandarua), James Nyoro (Kiambu) and Ndiritu Mureithi (Laikipia).

Key President Uhuru Kenyatta’s allies in Mt Kenya including former Presidential candidate Peter Kenneth, MPs Maina Kamanda (Nominated) and Kanini Kega (Kieni) are also expected to accompany him.

Several artistes from the region including Ben Githae, Sarafina Salim and Jose Gatutura will perform during the tour.

In the last two months, Raila has visited Mt Kenya counties in the company of at least seven of the 10 governors.

Nyandarua's Kimemia will be the host and a number of county leadership has been invited to accompany him.

Speaking to the Star on Friday, Kimemia said Raila's tour has been confirmed.

He said the campaign trail will snake through flyover, Kwa Haraka, Njabini (Dedan Kimathi centre) to colonial villages where he will address his supporters.

The tour, billed as part of Raila’s scheme to win over Uhuru’s support base, will also take him to Ol Joro Orok where the ODM boss will hold a consultative meeting with the area leaders.

Kimemia, a former powerful Cabinet minister in the retired President Kibaki’s administration, recently confessed of the existence mysterious operatives within the political circles christened ‘deep state’, believed to wield influence on who takes up influential positions after elections.

ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna on Friday told the Star that the tour will see the former premier address 10 rallies as the battle for Mt Kenya intensifies.

“We will hold rallies and then later hold a leaders’ meeting in Ol Joro Rok where our day will end. We will make about 10 stopovers along the road,” Sifuna said on phone.

Kimemia said Raila will also use the visit to preside over the opening of several projects that will help elevate the county that has been marginalised for many years.

“Raila Odinga as a high representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa, will help to address the challenges of infrastructure in the county while also addressing the marginalisation of the area," he said.

The governor said Raila's visit will also help the National government to prioritise empowering the people and increasing the infrastructure coverage.

He said Nyandarua county has only  225km of tarmacked roads and 40 per cent electricity coverage.

Nyandarua produces over 30 per cent of the potatoes consumed in the country but it is estimated that over 40 per cent of the potato harvest goes to waste as a result of lack of cold storage facilities.

Kimemia said every Kenyan has a democratic right to visit any part of the country as they wish and they shouldn’t be castigated or shouted down, emphasising the need for a united country as elections near.

But even as a number of Nyandarua leaders were invited for the tour, Woman Rep Faith Gitau— a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto—yesterday told the Star that she hasn’t been invited.

She however said the county is open for every politician eyeing any seat.

“I together with those who support Ruto, were not invited, the people of Nyandarua are now wise and they know who they will vote for come 2022,” she said on phone.

Raila’s tour comes days after DP Ruto also stormed Kiambu county as the fight for the rich vote block intensifies.

Raila and Ruto are fighting for Mt Kenya vote.

On Wednesday, Ruto pitched camp in Uhuru’s home county of Kiambu where he addressed a series of rallies in Juja, Ruiru, Githunguri and Kiambu town. He also held a rally in Gatanga constituency, Murang'a county.

 

-Edited by SKanyara