•Among the goodies the President offered the Akorino was a directive to school principals not to harass the children of Akorino faithful who put on their head turbans.
•He said the Akorino members had the right to exercise their religious beliefs and should be accorded the tolerance and support just like members of other faiths.
Image: PSCU
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Sunday sustained a massive charm offensive for his backyard’s vote for Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
Using major state appointments, monetary donations and awarding of a title deed, the president’s target was the over one million votes from the Akorino.
The church has membership spread across the country with a high concentration in Central Kenya.
Uhuru led Raila and his team including his running mate Martha Karua to a service at Kasarani gymnasium where they celebrated the church's 100 years of existence.
He asked the Akorino members to trust him in his leadership manoeuvres, including during the succession period so that the incoming government continues with his legacy.
Uhuru said that Akorino has been crucial to his political journey and vowed to offer them the same unwavering support even in retirement as he has done before.
“Some old men here know how far we have come. The journey has not been easy. It has been tough and it’s the reason you see me here today,” he said.
“The same way you stood by me and our house, I will stand with you and continue together.”
Among the goodies, the President offered the Akorino was a directive to school principals not to harass the children of Akorino faithful who put on their head turbans.
He said the Akorino members had the right to exercise their religious beliefs and should be accorded the tolerance and support just like members of other faiths.
“Don’t remove your headgear. That is our culture,” he said.
“I should be given the turban so that I put it on with pride.”
In response to the request by the church leadership for state appointments, Uhuru announced that he had appointed David Kirua Mburu to chair the Kenya Tea Board and Abraham Jeremiah as a member of the board of the Postal Corporation.
Others were Eunice Njeri Njau a member of the council of the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication and Samuel Thiong’o as chair of the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority.
He also handed to them a title deed of a five-acre piece of land in Naivasha so that the outfit can develop it.
Uhuru said they will donate Sh10 million to the church and another additional one million for the members present to buy the launched book on the church's history.
Raila's running mate Martha Karua urged the Akorino faithful across the country to vote for their ticket, assuring them that, they will take care of their interests.
“We have come to fellowship together with this man who made me a running mate and we are happy,” she said.
“We are where we are because we have walked together and in the same way I have seen you rejoicing with my brother President Uhuru, we will continue the same way.”
Karua urged the faithful to support them to continue with work done before and more.
Raila committed to supporting the church, thanking Uhuru for having stood with it.
He paid glowing tribute to the church's leadership for sustaining the traditional cultural ways of Kikuyus.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris