•The county boss says to combine his manifesto with Raila's.
•Governors are viewed as a critical asset for a presidential candidate.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Murang'a Governor Mwangi wa Iria has thrown his weight behind Azimio la Umoja flagbearer Raila Odinga's candidature.
The outgoing governor said he made the decision after a three-hour engagement with the former prime minister whom he says was the only person who reached out after his bid was rejected by the IEBC.
Wa Iria joins his 30 colleagues, six of whom come from Mt Kenya, who are supporting Raila’s fifth stab at the presidency.
The governor told the press in Nairobi on Tuesday that he opted for the Raila camp after realising he stood a higher chance to realise some of his dreams through the Azimio team.
“Raila Odinga engaged me in a three-hour discussion and we talked man to man. He was the only person who admitted to me that an injustice was committed against me,” he said.
“There are camps that feel that if I contest, I will chew into their expected share of votes. They used Chebukati as Herod (Biblical King). He had to kill my dream by all means."
As to whether Wa Iria’s declaration would translate to votes is yet to be seen, especially with the latest opinion polls showing that DP William Ruto still enjoys huge support in the region.
Wa Iria won the second term in 2017 with 349,904 votes, which translated to 69 per cent of the votes cast.
Wa Iria said part of the talks was that he incorporates his one cow, one household programme in the Azimio government.
“I told Raila that if we combined the Sh6,000 pledge and my cow programme, we will take Kenyan families above the poverty line,” the governor said.
“I told him those have to be in our joint manifesto and we reached a deal. He assured me that this will happen."
The governor, while accusing the IEBC of killing his dream to be president, asked his supporters to rally behind Raila.
He also asserted that the ODM leader had promised him a position in government, preferably in the Cabinet.
“The people of Murang'a should therefore rally behind me and we shall demand that Raila gives me a Cabinet position,” Wa Iria, who is the only governor from Central who has served two terms said.
“If I get to the Cabinet, I will implement all the programmes because I have the knowledge."
The governor is expected to hit the road running in campaigns for Raila ahead of a scheduled tour by the Azimio leader to the county this weekend.
Pundits hold that governors are a critical asset for a presidential candidate, as they come with not only support but also resources needed for a campaign.
But of all Mt Kenya counties, Raila has made countless visits to Murang’a county, sparking debate on what high-level stakes lie in the county for his bid.
A number of his key financiers also hail from the county, most of them being members of the Mount Kenya Foundation which has thrown its weight behind his candidature.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)