Visit Mwea to turn stop opposition tide, Mbeere South leaders tell Uhuru
Residents of Kikumini market in Embu County raise their hands during a voter mobilisation exercise led by county assembly Majority Leader Andrew Musakwa on January 24, 2017. The residents appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to tour the area to address various problems facing them. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The leaders say the area has a high number of opposition supporters.
- Mr Nyutu said failure by President Kenyatta to visit Mwea could make the area lag behind in voter registration.
- Mr Odinga garnered 9,000 from the area in the 2013 elections.
- Mbeere South MP Mutava Musyimi went to court to block issuance of Mwea title deeds.
Leaders in Mbeere South, Embu County, have intensified calls for President Uhuru Kenyatta to tour the Mwea division of the region Wednesday, saying it has a high number of opposition supporters.
County assembly Majority Leader Andrew Musakwa and parliamentary aspirant Kamau Nyutu said the area produced the most votes for Cord’s Raila Odinga and is therefore the best place for Jubilee to campaign.
Speaking at Kikumini market, where they mobilised voters to register, the two leaders said the head of State’s visit could help stimulate residents into changing their allegiance.
Mr Musakwa, the area's MCA, said that since most of the residents are from the Kamba community, they usually tend to vote with those in Kamba-dominated counties.
“We are appealing to President Uhuru Kenyatta [to include us in his diary] when he tours Embu. This is the place in Embu where voters could vote with Cord.
“It is very easy for the residents to be swayed into Cord and thus it is of utmost importance [that the president visit the area],” said Mr Musakwa.
ENHANCE VOTER REGISTRATION
Mr Nyutu said failure by President Kenyatta to visit Mwea could make the area lag behind in voter registration or slip back into supporting the opposition.
Mr Odinga garnered 9,000 from the area in the 2013 elections.
On Sunday, police broke up a demonstration where residents of Makutano market, Mbeere South, were demanding that the President tour all parts of the constituency.
The peaceful protesters said the Head of State was free to visit any part of the country and launch development projects.
Joseph Musyoka, a resident, said the area produced over 9,000 votes for the opposition and they are keen on ensuring the Jubilee Party is properly marketed in the area.
“If President Kenyatta doesn’t visit the area, the situation may not improve. We have suffered for long,” he said.
He said President Kenyatta should visit the area so that he can address the issue of the controversial Mwea settlement scheme after Mbeere South MP Mutava Musyimi went to court to block the issuing of title deeds.
