Raila, ANC hit out over Jubilee campaign raids

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s newly launched Jubilee Party is targeting Coalition for Reforms and Democracy's (Cord) strongholds at the Coast, in Western and lower Eastern regions ahead of the 2017 General Election.

The ruling coalition has been reaching out to elected MPs from the regions, hoping to get them to decamp from the Opposition.

Whereas on of the top Cord leaders, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, has criticised the move, his counterpart, Mr Raila Odinga, on Monday said the Opposition had devised its own strategies to consolidate its support in these regions.

Sources in the ruling coalition said its political leaders had asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to focus on development this year and allow Deputy President William Ruto and Majority Leaders Aden Duale (National Assembly) and Kithure Kindiki (Senate) to lead the political mobilisation for Jubilee.

Mr Kenyatta was on Monday at the Kenya Ferry Services in Mombasa on an impromptu tour to assess the state of the ferries.

On Tuesday, he was scheduled to give out title deeds to squatters at the Waitiki land, also in Mombasa, but the ceremony was postponed.

Speaking on phone on Monday, Mr Duale said the Jubilee Coalition had decided to woo the Coast, Western and lower Eastern regions, which voted for Cord in the 2013 General Election.

The new offensive is meant to give the new party a head start in the lead-up to the 2017 elections.

“For us, 2016 is a politically defining year during which we will seek to unite the whole country by bringing on board the Coast, Western and Ukambani regions. We want to win the next elections with all Kenyans on board,” he said.

The Garissa Township MP’s remarks came in the wake of heightened trips by Jubilee leaders, including Mr Ruto, in Western and Coast regions during which some MPs in the two areas promised to join the Jubilee Party.

On Monday, representatives from the Amani National Congress (ANC), whose leader is Mr Musalia Mudavadi, criticised Jubilee for creating the impression that its leaders in western Kenya had defected in large numbers.

“As a coalition, we know Musalia Mudavadi will be president in 2017. That is our goal, said ANC Secretary-General Godfrey Osotsi during a press conference in Nairobi.

A KIND GESTURE
They also criticised ANC leaders who were leaning towards Mr Odinga, saying those who did not support Mr Mudavadi were free to join Cord.

The move by both Jubilee and Cord leaders to reach out to potential voters in western Kenya appear to have been triggered by Mr Mudavadi’s growing influence in the region where he has been popularising ANC.

Mr Mudavadi has met with numerous groups from Kakamega, Busia, Webuye and eight other counties to seek political support.

His said his mission was to give western Kenya a voice in the next elections.

Besides western, Jubilee has also been wooing Coast voters and their leaders.

At the weekend, Mr Ruto was in Kilifi where MPs Gunga Mwinga (Kaloleni, Kadu-Asili), Gedion Mung’aro (Kilifi North, ODM), Mustapha Iddi (Kilifi South, ODM), Peter Shehe (Ganze, Federal Party), Harrison Kombe (Magarini, URP) and Khatib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga, ODM) said they would decamp to Jubilee Party before the next election.

Out of the 26 elected MPs in the Coast region, only five are in Jubilee. Five others are in parties affiliated to Jubilee but Cord has a commanding presence with 16.

The recent appointment of former MP Dan Kazungu to the Cabinet appeared to have affected political allegiances.

Mr Kazungu, an ODM MP, was appointed by the President last month, as the CS for Mining.

A by-election to pick his successor will be held in March and ODM has expressed its intention to retain the seat.

Prof Halim Shauri of Pwani University said Mr Kazungu’s appointment had won over the Coast especially in Malindi where the former MP hails from but he warned: “There are many historical injustices that have remained unaddressed to date. Those issues that directly affect the coastal person have to be addressed and Jubilee is not doing that.”

His sentiment indicated that though Jubilee was making inroads, it still had a long way to go before it could upset the dominance of Cord.

CORD UNCOWED
Mr Odinga, on Monday, said Cord was aware that Jubilee party was targeting Coast, Western and Kisii regions, where the Opposition enjoyed massive support in the last election.

“We do not want to be reactive because we have our own strategy. We wish them good luck but we caution them to stop wasting their time by dishing money to individuals,” he said in a telephone interview.

He accused Jubilee leaders of using funds meant for development to lure individual MPs while at the same time ignoring majority of Kenyans.

“These are just individuals. The money will not get down to the people. Why are they not making money available to counties to buy medicine, pay teachers’ salaries, connect water and build roads?” he asked.

The ODM leader said his team was also campaigning in Jubilee dominated regions and the response has been positive following the failure of the government to provide services to the people.

“We are also working in Jubilee strongholds but we are not exhibiting it or hoarding media publicity. We are not worried by the Jubilee onslaught on our strongholds and we are sure of beating them in the next elections,” he said.

Reported by Bernard Namunane, Moses Odhiambo, Kazungu Samwel and Mwakera Mwajefa