ODM party leader Raila Odinga went against all odds to tour the rebellious counties of the former Western Province as he accelerated the tempo of wooing the region to vote for him in the next general elections as opposed to voting for the region’s homegrown presidential candidates.
Raila who toured three counties of Western region in five days despite having some resistances in some of the constituencies that he addressed rallies, he put on a brave face and accomplished his mission without fear.
The seasoned politician who has tried his luck at the presidency unsuccessfully for three times has defied the calls upon him from a cross-section of leaders and voters from the Western region for him to back Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetangula and Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka or even Musalia Mudavadi of Amani National Congress – ANC, seems to be hearing none of those calls and noises.
In his speeches while in Busia and Kakamega counties he urged the electorate to vote for him overwhelmingly and his ODM party without mentioning a word over the CORD coalition that now seems not to be existing in his vocabulary and in that of his supporters who are now vowing that it is Raila or nothing else in 2017.
“In the last elections you people voted overwhelmingly for me to become president but then you didn’t give me the foot soldiers to support my presidency and that is why I am calling upon you to vote suit for ODM right from the MCA, MP, governor, senator and the president so that we can form a full government that has all the necessary support,” he told a crowd at Angurai market in Teso North constituency.
He added that he is the best candidate to transform this country in many aspects including economically, politically and socially.
Touring the region barely two weeks after ODM’s national officials from the region including the party’s secretary general and national vice chairman among others had the guts to quit their positions in the party, Raila together with his supporters went ahead to tell the electorate to forget about any other leader as far as the 2017 presidential contest is concerned promising that he is their only hope to redeem the country from the Jubilee regime which he termed corrupt and failed.
“As ODM we have a comprehensive and robust plan to transform this country when we get to power as compared to this Jubilee administration that has failed in delivering its pre-election promises to Kenyans,” Raila said at Shianda market in Mumias East constituency as he wound up his tour.
Raila the most popular among the principals
Raila’s supporters who accompanied him including MPs and governors elected on the ODM ticket especially from Nyanza and Western rubbished the possibilities of Baba supporting any other candidate for the presidency in 2017 but instead told him to utilize his only remaining bullet to reach state house.
“We do not want to talk about CORD here because we are ODM and we want you the three principals to sit down and talk to give us one candidate but we are telling you that we shall not take any other name apart from Raila Amolo Odinga to be our flag bearer,” said George Aladwa former mayor of the defunct Nairobi City Council.
Former assistant minister and Kanduyi MP Alfred Khangati poured cold water on Wetangula’s popularity in the region to vie for the presidency and challenged Raila to conduct a popularity vote exercise in Bungoma for Kenyans to know who between Raila and Wetangula is popular.
Nominated senator Daisy Kanainza who represents youth told off Wetangula to stop thinking big saying that he just joined other people’s house and should not demand for anything adding that he does not have the numbers to be backed for presidency.
She told Raila Odinga to officially launch his presidential bid so that his supporters and the party of ODM can go out full blast to campaign for his presidential bid other than leaving them in suspense as they argue as to whom among the three principals Raila, Wetangula and Musyoka should be the flag bearer.
CORD dying a natural death
From the speeches delivered by Raila and his ODM supporters and leaders, it showed clearly that the bond among the CORD affiliate parties had been torn off completely hence each party should now seek for its own support for their candidate especially ODM’s Rala Odinga.
All the speakers had no regard for any other candidate from the region or elsewhere for the seat of the president other than their party leader Raila Odinga.
The zeal and vigor with which they delivered their speeches in support of their leader told it all how determined they are to go any length to ensure that Raila faces President Uhuru Kenyatta of Jubilee Party of Kenya on the ballot in August 8th 2017.
Despite some elements of heckling in Budalangi constituency and demonstrations at Shibale in Mumias area, the ODM leader and his supporters maintained their message that it is Baba who should be supported for presidency.
I did a lot for Western, said Raila
Raila and his supporters tried to justify as to how the former Western region especially the Luhya nation benefitted from his leadership while serving as the Prime minister during the grand coalition government.
He mentioned some of the cabinet positions that he offered to leaders from the region including his former deputy premier and then minister for local government Musalia Mudavadi who has since decamped to UDF then ANC, Dr. Paul Otuoma, Ababu Namwamba, Alfred Khangati among others whom he said were part of his fruits as the prime minister then by serving as ministers or assistant ministers.
He further refuted claims that ODM is a party for Luos wondering how that is possible yet the secretary general of the party is Ababu Namwamba who is a Luhya, Paul Otuoma another Luhya was the national Vice chairman before resigning as Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya serves as the party’s deputy party leader among other positions.
However Raila and the party’s national chairman John Mbadi promised that the party shall this time round conduct a free and fair nomination exercise to ensure that the popular candidates are the ones who emerge with the party’s ticket to vie for different seats in the next general elections.
I don’t owe Mumias any money
Raila used the rallies at Matungu, Shianda and Bomani in Mumias East constituency to absolve himself from any role in the collapse of Mumias Sugar company pointing out that he does not woe the company any penny in debts.
Raila who spoke after youths believed to have been hired by former ODM national youth leader Rashid Mohammed tried to block the road at Shibale along the Bungoma-Mumias road as they carried placards demanding that Raila should pay Ksh. 300 million that he owes Mumias sugar company.
He dared those who are raising the allegations to take him to court if at all their claims are factual.
The youths who blocked the road as they demonstrated were however dispersed by the anti-riot police and other security agencies including goons hired by the ODM party who were armed with sticks and other crude weapons to confront any persons who tried to resist Baba in his tour.
Leaders who accompanied Raila
In his five-day tour Raila was accompanied by governors, Wycliffe Oparanyaof Kakamega, Sospeter Ojaamong of Busia and Cornel Rasanga of Siaya and at some point in Budalangi was joined by Hassan Joho of Mombasa and his senator Omar Hassan.
Mps included Andrew Toboso of Butere, Peter Kaluma, TJ Kajwang, Rose Nyamunga, Florence Mutua, Raphael Otalo, Anami Lisamula, Opiyo Wandayi, Sumra, Gladys wanga, John Mbadi, Shakeel Shabir and nominated senators Daisy Kanainza and Godliver Omondi among others.