Raila in Mt Kenya to quell Azimio zoning concerns

Azimio Presidential candidate Raila Odinga addressing a roadside meeting in Nanyuki town, May 2, 2022. [Mose Sammy, Standard]

Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance presidential contender Mr Raila Odinga has defended their zoning strategy, saying it will avert vote splitting and self-cannibalism in allied parties.

Mr Odinga, who is on a three-day tour of Mt Kenya region to meet Azimio-affiliated candidates, said zoning would help candidates of popular parties win.

He said in areas where there is no popular party, all sister parties would be allowed to field a candidate since even their opponent will not be assured of a win.

Speaking in Nanyuki at a meeting with 300 candidates from Kanu, Jubilee, Narc-Kenya and Narc, Mr Odinga said zoning would consolidate the strengths of Azimio parties. “The move will see candidates from different political parties clinch elective positions based on their regional strengths without giving our competitors undue advantage,” he said.

He said zoning is the best strategy since their main aim was to consolidate parties and deliver a win to the presidential level. “In parliamentary system, post-election deals apply where parties compete first and negotiate after the polls, if no party gets enough seats in Parliament. But that not the case with us,” said the ODM leader.

He said zoning was the best strategy to ensure each of the 26 political parties that joined Azimio gets leaders in elective positions.

In areas like Nairobi, Mr Odinga said, ODM is fielding 40 MCA aspirants while Jubilee has 45. For parliamentary aspirants, Jubilee and ODM will each have eight, and Wiper one.

Murang'a Woman Rep Ms Sabina Chege said they will be conducting joint campaigns for Mr Odinga with parties under Azimio despite ongoing talks. “Talks are ongoing to have some aspirants step down in favour of others. This is the only way we shall get both the presidency and parliamentary seats," she said.

Jubilee Party director of elections Mr Kanini Kega also delved in the matter, saying they would not allow candidates to vie just for the sake of it. “The aim of vying should be winning. We don’t want to encourage the cut-throat competition amongst our parties. Even if Raila is elected President, our target is to have two thirds of majority in legislative houses,” said the Kieni MP.

Narc-Kenya leader Ms Martha Karua on Sunday clashed with Mr Kega at the ACK St Peters Cathedral and at a rally in Nyeri town in the presence of Mr Odinga after the latter drummed up support for Jubilee.

Mr Kega had said Mr Odinga needed foot soldiers in Parliament and that there was need to have the electorate vote for Jubilee candidates. Ms Karua responded: "Let us look for individuals and not parties. I'm following Raila because of his character and track record. My party also has candidates, and it is still in Azimio."

In areas where zoning will not be conducted, candidates will also have to abandon their respective manifesto and popularise the Azimio one, which Raila said will be published next week.

The Azimio manifesto will have a 10 point agenda that will have the deadlines for implementation. It will later be presented to candidates by experts, who will guide them on how to use it in their campaigns.

A coordinating committee will be put in place at ward, constituency and county levels to create synergy and communication flow from the central board headed by Mr Raphael Tuju. "The committees will help arm our candidates with messaging and other assistance they may need," said Mr Odinga.

After the Nanyuki meeting, Mr Odinga addressed a rally at Nanyuki stadium, where he promised to address long lasting problems such as water scarcity in his first 100 days in office. “My social protection fund only needs Sh1.44 billion, while the corrupts loot Sh700 billion annually. We shall seal the loopholes and take the corrupt to jail, and money for the programme will be available,” said Mr Odinga.

He later flew to Kirinyaga, where he urged aspirants not to see their opponents in Azimio as enemies. He was accompanied by Laikipia Governor Mr Ndiritu Muriithi, Nyeri Deputy Governor Ms Caroline Karugu, politician Mr Maina Njenga, Mr Tuju, among others.

They rallied support for Raila and told locals that he was the best placed leader to succeed the President. “Our first debt to the Odingas was in 1962 when Raila’s farther refused the colonial master’s overture for the position of Prime Minister and turned it down in calling for the release of Jomo Kenyatta. Our second debt was in 2002, when he postponed his presidential ambitions in support of (Mwai) Kibaki,” said Mr Muriithi.

“Baba care programme is a continuation of universal health coverage and Raila is ensuring a continuity of programmes started by our President,” said Ms Chege, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Health Committee.