KISUMU: CORD leader Raila Odinga has asked the coalition’s MPs to skip parliamentary sessions and lead voter registration in their constituencies.
Raila said this yesterday after coming face-to-face with the grim reality of low voter registration in his stronghold of Nyanza.
He was shocked to find clerks idle in centres in Homa Bay County. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission staff revealed that they serve a paltry 10 to 20 people per day in some wards.
They said most residents are yet to collect their national identity cards while some are not aware of the ongoing voter registration.
Raila immediately changed his itinerary and started impromptu roadside rallies to urge residents to come out and register as voters.
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“I have asked all coalition MPs to stay away from parliamentary proceedings next week and return home to lead voter registration,” he said.
The CORD leader was surprised to learn that Siaya County had registered 8,902 voters, Homa Bay 5,562 while Kisumu a paltry 7,314 by the close of business on Thursday.
Pass legislation
“We must keep our eyes on the ball which is victory at the polls. It makes little sense to have MPs in Nairobi when on the ground we cannot mobilise voters to register. Let them come home and lead the exercise,” Raila said.
“I am not ready for the battle if we cannot mobilise enough voters to help ascend to the presidency in 2017. We must start door to door campaign in all villages to ensure we have numbers,” he added.
Raila was in Homa Bay where he officiated at an international investment conference co-sponsored by the county government and USaid. Earlier he commissioned newly refurbished county assembly chambers and urged members to pass legislation that would endear devolution to Kenyans. Raila visited Arujo Ward, Homa Bay Central ward and held rallies at Rodi Kopany and Ndhiwa before heading to Sori and Migori.
“We have a rehearsal of the 2017 duel in Kericho senate by-election and in Malindi parliamentary seat on March 7th, and When we are done with mobilising voters I will lead CORD brigade to Malindi to deliver the vote for ODM candidate Willy Mtengo,” Raila said.
“In South Rift you saw the signal in Nyangores ward and another one is coming in the senatorial seat. The march is on and this time I do not want to say I have been rigged...we want to win by a landslide,” Raila said.
The CORD leader urged the youth not listen to propaganda from opponents saying, “his vote will be stolen and there is no need to register as voters.”
MPs John Mbadi, Peter Kaluma, Millie Odhiambo, George Oner, Osele and Gladys Wanga promised to will visit markets, funerals, churches, mosques and even weddings to capture those who have not been listed.
“CORD is going to lead the war against corruption and fight the vicious cycle of poverty by delivering ideals of devolution,” Raila told the investment conference.
He asked voters to be wary of people in the national government who were keen on killing devolution by replicating duties already under the county governments including reclassification of roads. Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti welcomed the investors to the county.
The county has identified energy, agriculture, horticulture, fish processing and mining as key investment opportunities.
