PM adopts new 2012 strategy

Prime Minister Raila Odinga is moving away from his traditional political allies and is embracing a new breed of opinion leaders and professionals in a bid to penetrate hostile regions ahead of the next General Election.

On Saturday for instance, the PM met professionals from the Maasai and Kisii communities to market his presidential candidature. Similar meetings have been scheduled for Sunday.

In a departure from past practice where Mr Odinga mainly relied on political allies to win votes in key voting blocs, the meetings are being organised by professionals and non-political opinion leaders with local politicians only playing peripheral roles.

Behind the new approach is a new lobby group dubbed Mwanzo Mpya (new beginning), comprising professionals and business people which the PM launched late last month.

Led by businessman Sam Wambugu (chairman), John Majiwa (secretary general), George Kosgey (Vice-chairman), Dr Charles Mwangi (organising secretary), Rose Wambui (treasurer) and Agrey Owino (director-strategy), the outfit has been tasked with marketing “brand Raila” mainly in regions perceived to be politically hostile like Central, Eastern and Rift Valley.

The group has over the last two weeks held meetings with locals from the three provinces.

Central region

On Friday, Mr Wambugu, Dr Mwangi and Central province co-ordinator Elizabeth Muthoni, held three meetings in Othaya, Mathira and Nyeri Town constituencies to popularise Mr Odinga.

The regions are split over Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Planning assistant minister Peter Kenneth and Gichugu MP Martha Karua’s candidacies.

Another group led by businessman John Mutahi was in Meru while Mr Kosgey led team to Central Rift Valley.

Besides the lobby group, the PM has engaged the services of technocrats and new political allies.

His communications advisor, Mr Salim Lone, confirmed the new political strategy, saying it was informed by changing political trends.

“Politics is very dynamic and one must keep on evolving. Whereas his (PM) goals have not changed, his strategies and tactics must constantly change to adjust to the political dynamics of the day. The new strategies are being deployed to meet his goals,” he told Sunday Nation.

A senior official at the PM’s office who sought anonymity because he does not have authority to speak on Mr Odinga’s behalf confirmed that Mwanzo Mpya was among the lobby groups spearheading Mr Odinga’s third attempt at the presidency.

“We are working with at least six lobby groups including Mwanzo Mpya and Friends of Raila. We have also met professionals from various communities including Kisii, Maasai, Kamba, Meru and Kipsigis to listen to their needs and concerns. It is not new, we have been working with professionals since 2007,” he said.

Masinde Muliro University lecturer, Prof Egara Kabaji, expressed little surprise at Mr Odinga’s new strategy of embracing professionals. He said it was informed by the realisation that the bulk of the voting population is made up of of informed youth.

Strategic interests

“The PM is only the politician in this country who continuously and clandestinely carries out opinion polls every so often for his own strategic interests. This new strategy is being informed by these opinion polls, which show that the next president will be determined by voters between the age of 18 and 35,” he noted. “These are enlightened Kenyans who will be more interested in listening to professionals and this new strategy is informed by that realisation,” Prof Egara added.

Mwanzo Mpya’s chairman, Mr Wambugu told Sunday Nation that the lobby group was out to market Mr Odinga’s as Kenya’s best bet for the presidency after President Kibaki.

“He is the only one among the presidential hopefuls who can guarantee continuity and ensure the Constitution is fully implemented. Our strategy is to conduct high level civic education to demystify Mr Odinga because we have come to realise that voters in regions such as Central, Eastern and Rift Valley provinces have been fed with a lot of propaganda against him. This is what we want to change through civic education,” he said.

Regional pointmen

Mr Odinga’s meeting with Kisii professionals this weekend has been organised by former Permanent Secretary and a consultant at the PM’s office, Mr James Ongwae and ODM executive director Janet Ong’era.

The PM is also enlisting the support of new political allies in various parts of the country. In Nairobi and the Mt Kenya region, the PM’s pointsmen include Housing assistant minister Margaret Wanjiru, Kiambaa MP Stanley Githunguri, Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara, Nominated MP Rachael Shebesh, former Constitutional Affairs minister Charles Njonjo, former Ntonyiri MP Maoka Maore and political activist Mpuru Aburi.

Speaking at St Bernadette Catholic Church in Ngoigwa Estate, Thika, where he represented the Prime Minister at a fundraiser on August 30, Mr Githunguri publicly declared that he was ready to risk his political career for Mr Odinga.