Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his running mate Martha Karua have accused their Kenya Kwanza opponents of hoodwinking Kenyans through “proceeds of corruption”.
The duo who camped in Murang’a yesterday to woo voters in their political camp urged Kenyans to “chop the money” but still vote for ‘Baba na Martha’ pair in the August polls. In their vote hunting campaign that started in the morning with Karua meeting grassroots women leaders at Kimorori Grounds in Kenol before joining Raila at General Kago Stadium in Kangema for campaigns and a final rally at Mumbi Grounds in Kirinyaga, the two associated their rivals with corruption proceeds or though scanty on details about the particular involvement in graft.
“(Deputy President William Ruto) uses over Sh100 million monthly basis to buy cars for pastors, he attends church fundraising every weekend and buys school buses yet his salary is only Sh2 million,” Raila said at Mumbi Grounds.
“This is corruption proceeds and resources that should have gone to improving our roads and hospitals. That is why we are asking you to vote for us so that we can seal the loopholes for you to enjoy your taxes.”
Karua separately pleaded with Mt Kenya region to support her by overwhelmingly voting for Raila saying she was better off to protect and safeguard regional interests as opposed to her opposite number Rigathi Gachagua who is Ruto’s running mate.
“I and Raila have a good track record which include delivering the 2010 constitution, while our opponents were grabbing land and persecuting people when they were District Officers (DOs). Where Martha is, you can’t be persecuted and oppressed while I remain silent,” said Karua.
She said as opposed to their opponent, Raila was sober, mature and was not as temperamental as his rival. She said using President Uhuru Kenyatta’s admission that Kenya was loosing Sh2 billion daily to corruption cartels, every Kenyan was losing Sh40 on daily basis. At the Mumbi Grounds rally, Raila welcomed Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria and his Usawa kwa Wote party into Azimio.
Raila said his ideologies and those of Iria’s party were similar and that they would join hands to implement Iria’s manifesto under the Azimio government.
The second term governor whose presidential bid was cut short by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission for failure to meet the requirements, blamed Ruto’s camp for his woes.
“They did not want a son of Mt Kenya to vie since I could have garnered more votes than them, they celebrated while Raila personally called me to hear my concerns and agreed to actualize them in Azimio.”
Wa Iria pledged to work hard to help Raila get most of the over 600,000 votes in the area during the August 9 elections. In the meeting all the speakers led by former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, MPs Sabina Chege, Nduati Ngugi and Ruth Wangari welcomed Iria to their political outfit and pleaded with locals to turn up in large numbers and cast their votes. Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu described Wa Iria as a visionary leader who steered the Council of Governors expertly when he was the vice chairman.
“Now that Wa Iria has moved to support Raila Odinga, we urge all his supporters and especially the youth to follow him and abandon our rival who has not direction”, said Ngilu.
Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli said Mt Kenya region should rally behind Azimio leadership where the future was bright. The rival (Ruto) has no leadership skills that can match Raila’s.
“You will recall that in 2013, I said President Uhuru Kenyatta was the possible presidential candidate for the pair and dismissed Ruto,” said Atwoli.
