Raila takes campaigns to Ruto’s backyard after jetting back home

ODM leader Raila Odinga addresses wananchi during a rally at Jacaranda Grounds in Nairobi. [File, Standard]

ODM leader Raila Odinga has lined up a series of rallies in the Rift Valley, the backyard of his main challenger Deputy President William Ruto, this week.

Mr Odinga’s campaign team was last evening coming up with finer details of the rallies before confirming dates and venues for the foray in a region largely perceived to be Ruto’s turf.

The former premier – who jetted back from the UK yesterday – will also storm Western  in the course of the week, according to the tentative schedule.

Mr Odinga was initially scheduled to return on Sunday but flew via Dubai, where he spent a day before returning home yesterday morning.

Mr Odinga’s Press Secretary Dennis Onsarigo confirmed the planned rallies in Rift Valley and Western.

“We will have rallies in Rift Valley and Western in the course of the week,” Mr Onsarigo said without providing further details.

Head of Mr Odinga’s campaign team and Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi said a confirmed itinerary will be provided. He hinted at a meeting last evening to firm up the schedule before it can be released to the public.

“Yes, I can confirm that he is back and we can expect that he will be getting in quite a bit of activities,” said Mr Muriithi.

“We are looking at the whole country and I can assure you that you will get the schedule once it is ready,” said the governor in response to the planned Rift Valley rallies.

He claimed Kenya Kwanza of DP Ruto were relying on their schedule to adjust their campaign itinerary, making them reluctant to release their schedule in advance.

“When we release our schedule, the competitors adjust theirs. They are fond of copying us. You remember when we said we are supporting small business they are now speaking the same language, when we said we are going to allocate more money to counties, they are now mobilising their MPs to push for more money to counties,” said the governor.

He said it was ironical that Dr Ruto was now supporting more money to counties when he had rejected a similar move when it was discussed at Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council, which he (Ruto) chaired.

During his UK visit, Raila defended President Uhuru Kenyatta over his perceived challenge in fighting corruption.

Mr Odinga said the President’s quest to rid the country of corrupt individuals, especially those in politics, has been met with opposition from Ruto and his allies.

The former prime minister described the said-influence by Ruto’s team on graft war as “sabotage from within”.

He claimed Dr Ruto sabotaged the president’s efforts to combat graft.

“He (President Kenyatta) felt very much unable to deal with it. The [main] reason is because he is leading a divided government. He was being undermined from within his own government by his deputy, who is an opposition [leader] inside the government,” said Mr Odinga.

“Any fight against corruption is, therefore, politicised (by Ruto’s team),” he added.