OKA principals seek to chip away Raila's Coast support

One Kenya Alliance (OKA) leaders are set to tour Taita-Taveta county today to galvanise support ahead of the 2022 General Election.

OKA principals Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Gideon Moi (Kanu) and Moses Wetang'ula (Ford Kenya) are expected to address rallies in Voi and Wundanyi constituencies, perceived to be ODM leader Raila Odinga's strongholds.

A senior officer at the Wundanyi Police Station said Wundanyi MP Danson Mwashako has already notified the police of the rallies.

Mr Mwashako and Taita-Taveta Women Representative Lydia Haika yesterday called for peaceful campaigns ahead of next year’s elections.

The legislators pledged to work together irrespective of their party affiliation to promote peaceful co-existence in the electioneering period.

Mwashako is a Wiper party legislator and deputy secretary general while Haika was elected on Jubilee Party ticket but has since defected to United Democratic Alliance (UDA) associated with Deputy President William Ruto.

“We are working together to preach peace and ensure local youth are not used by politicians to cause violence. Despite supporting different political formations, we will ensure the county residents give all the candidates time to sell their development policies peacefully,” stated the Woman Rep.

Haika said vendetta and character assassination perpetrated by some leaders was not in beneficial to the county's growth.

“The electorate should listen to all the candidates vying for different elective positions and thereafter interrogate them and make an informed decision in 2022,” she added.

Mwashako said they have agreed with Haika to sensitise locals on the need to maintain peace.

“Police should be vigilant and arrest politicians out to incite the youth to cause chaos. The county is cosmopolitan and we need peaceful elections devoid of violence,” he said.

The leaders urged the electorate to look at aspirants development track record and not party affiliation.

“There are those leaders who subscribe to UDA while others are supporting Jubilee, ODM, Wiper, ANC and Kanu among others. Voters should interrogate all the candidates irrespective of party affiliation to pick the best,” said Haika

The Women Rep urged local leaders to shun divisive politics. 

“We should all play politics devoid of hatred. I am supporting Wheelbarrow and there are others supporting ODM and Jubilee among other political parties. We should all play mature politics devoid of hatred and divisions," she said.

"We also should conduct our campaigns peacefully and sell our policies to the electorate who in the end will make an informed decision on who to elect. Politics of hatred have no place in Kenya,” she added.?