Uhuru takes Jubilee vote hunt to Kisii and Nyamira counties

President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses residents of Nakuru at Nyayo Gardens on June 3, 2017. He is gain making a tour of Kisii and Nyamira counties this Tuesday. PHOTO | SILA KIPLAGAT | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Mr Kenyatta is expected to hold a major rally at Nyamarambe Stadium in Kisii.
  • He will make stops in other major towns within the county.
  • The President is expected to address the fate of over 50,000 IDPs in the region.

President Uhuru Kenyatta returns to Kisii and Nyamira counties Tuesday as he seeks to woo voters from the region to support his re-election bid on a Jubilee ticket.

The President’s tour comes barely three months after a similar one where he asked members of the Gusii community to shun the National Super Alliance (Nasa) and support Jubilee.

He is expected to hold a series of rallies in the two counties which have slightly over half a million voters.

“He will be in Kisii on Tuesday before heading to Nyamira on Wednesday,” said Jubilee head of presidential campaign in Nyanza region Mr Charles Nyachae on Monday.

MAJOR RALLY

Mr Kenyatta is expected to hold a major rally at Nyamarambe Stadium in Kisii and make stops in other major towns within the county.

The Jubilee leadership is keen to win support from the region which mainly voted for ODM in the 2013 elections.

In Kisii County, ODM Party leader Mr Raila Odinga got 236,831 (68.8 percent) votes while President Uhuru got 95,596 (27.8 percent) votes.

In Nyamira County, the president garnered 54,071 (29.8 percent) votes while Mr Odinga got 121,590 (67.1 percent) votes.

During his last visit, Mr Kenyatta said the Jubilee administration had not abandoned Gusii people.

The President also said his administration had allocated Sh22 billion for the construction of 400 kilometres of road in the region, but residents are still waiting for the fulfilment of the promise three months on.

ADDRESS IDPS

The President is expected to address the fate of over 50,000 internally displaced people in the region.

Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi, a former Jubilee point man in the region who a few weeks ago returned to ODM will be missing from the President’s tour.

Mr Maangi had left ODM a year ago but recently re-joined his boss, Governor James Ongwae, who is seeking to be re-elected on an ODM ticket.

“I have listened to the mood, feelings and wishes of the people of Kisii and decided to re-join ODM," said Mr Maangi.

He cited frustrations in the Jubilee Party.

He had earlier been named President Kenyatta’s key campaigner in the region and had more than ten times hosted Deputy President William Ruto in his tours of the region.