Vote for Raila to break Kikuyu-Kalenjin leadership cycle – Jirongo

UDP leader Cyrus Jirongo has urged Kenyans to vote for Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga to break the dominance of Kalenjins and Kikuyus.

Jirongo said Kenya needs rotational presidency to promote unity.

“Voting for Raila will break the Kikuyu–Kalenjin cycle in the county’s leadership and allow other tribes to lead the country. I will vote for Raila not because he is a good man, but because he’s from a different tribe,” he said.

Jirongo, who is seeking to succeed Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, was addressing a campaign rally at Eregi grounds in Ikolomani constituency on Tuesday.

He is facing off with ANC’s Cleophas Malala, Fernandes Barasa (ODM), Samuel Omukoko (MDP), Suleiman Sumba (Kanu), Michael Osundwa (independent) and Optiso Austine (independent) in the race.

Jirongo said Kenya’s economy is on its knees because of rampant corruption both in government and the private sector.

“We’re where we are because of scarcity mentality that pushed Kenyans into corruption and the time to fight the menace is now or we’ll have no country called Kenya,” he said.

The former Lugari MP said urgent action is required or else there will be no country soon.

He said Azimio presidential running mate Martha Karua has the capacity to fight graft and have those involved. including those in Azimio, sent to jail.

He said corruption has hit the youth who are unemployed hard. 

“We need to come up with programmes that will put money in their pockets otherwise they’re a ticking time bomb,” he added.

Jirongo said the skewed sharing of resources in Kakamega has split the county into southern and northern regions.

He said his governorship bid is the beginning of Luhya unity drive to prepare the community for national leadership.

“I had decided to support my brother Musalia Mudavadi for presidency but he chickened out of the race. This made me realise that that our community will get lost unless I return to active politics,” Jirongo said.

He said the Luhya community is easily divided by outsiders because its leaders do not like each other and they are mean to share what they have.

Edited by A.N