Governors join Raila to root for Imran

ODM leader Raila Odinga has said the Kibra by-election will pit the 'handshake' team against Deputy President William Ruto's team Tangatanga.

The 'handshake' team comprises politicians brought together following a unity pact between Raila and President Uhuru Kenyatta last year.

“On November 7, there will be the last match bringing two teams in a face-off. There will be team Tangatanga combined and handshake combined,” said Raila.

Raila spoke yesterday as governors Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga, Jubilee), Charity Ngilu (Kitui, Narc), Alfred Mutua (Machakos, Maendeleo Chap Chap), Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni, Wiper) and Kanu Secretary General Nick Salat joined the Orange party in drumming up support for its candidate, Imran Okoth.

Raila described the leaders from rival political outfits as the 'face of the country' during the rally at the Joseph Kangethe Grounds.

The leaders announced that yesterday's rally was the beginning of a new political movement that will drum up support for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) and ultimately forge an alliance for the 2022 General Election.

The former premier voiced a mock football commentary where he alluded that party leaders Musalia Mudavadi (Amani National Congress) and Moses Wetang'ula (Ford Kenya) were working with Ruto to snatch the parliamentary seat from ODM.

This after he said that ANC’s Eliud Owalo and Ford Kenya’s Khamisi Butichi were part of Ruto's brigade.

Using money

Raila chided Ruto for allegedly using money to influence the over 100,000 voters in the informal settlement to cast their votes in favour of ex-footballer McDonald Mariga.

“Our opponents are making a lot of noise and we have called for support in our bedroom. It's friends you invite to your bedroom. We want to bring election-related chaos to an end. We also want to fight poverty. We want to build a new Kenya where there is no Kikuyu, Kamba, Luo; all are Kenyans,” he said.

Ms Waiguru said alliances for 2022 were already being forged out of the Kibra race, stating “this is the team that will form the next government”.

“After this Kibra by-election we have the BBI because that is where the 2022 government will be formed. If you see me here, it is the handshake of Raila and Uhuru. Let nobody lie to you about any other candidate,” she said.

Jubilee nominated MP Maina Kamanda claimed that Uhuru had not campaigned for Mariga because he supported Imran as part of his truce with Raila.

“I am here because of Uhuru and Raila. Kibra by-election is going to shape the country’s politics. Have you seen Uhuru in the Mariga compaigns? He is here with us supporting Imran,” said Kamanda.

Dr Mutua, in a jibe directed at Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, described himself, Mrs Ngilu and Prof Kibwana as the 'main' Ukambani leaders and said they were ready to forge a working relationship with Raila.

Mutua said any politician who was not part of the gathering should not purport to speak on behalf of the community in preparation for 2022.

Ngilu and Kibwana described Imran as the handshake candidate as they declared their support for the unpublished BBI report.

Ngilu said the country must get to where many communities are accommodated in the Executive for the sake of inclusivity.

Mr Salat said Kanu was fully behind the handshake and would back the BBI report once it was made public.