Nasa seeks to seal Kisii vote ahead of August 8 polls
Nasa flag-bearer Raila Odinga addresses a rally at Ogembo township in Bomachoge, Kisii County, on August 1, 2017. PHOTO | BENSON MOMANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The Nasa leaders, led by presidential candidate Raila Odinga, called for a huge turnout on election day on Tuesday, but urged vigilance on the vote count.
- Mr Mudavadi and Mr Moses Wetang’ula called for open and speedy investigations into the killing so that Kenyans can know the truth.
National Super Alliance leaders on Tuesday returned to Kisii County, seeking to neutralise President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee campaigns there on Monday.
The Nasa leaders, led by presidential candidate Raila Odinga, called for a huge turnout on election day on Tuesday, but urged vigilance on the vote count.
“I ask you to keep an eye on the polling stations until votes are announced; this time we are not going to let any vote get lost,” said Mr Odinga at a rally in Masimba, Nyaribari Masaba constituency.
Mr Odinga reiterated his controversial call for “guarding” votes, which the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has argued should be left to accredited party agents.
Addressing crowds in the wake of the killing of the polls agency ICT boss Chris Msando, the opposition leaders accused the government of complicity in the murder.
INVESTIGATIONS
Mr Odinga said Nasa will win even if “all of us are assassinated”.
“We need investigations to be conducted quickly so that Kenyans can know the truth. We will win and do so with a landslide,” said Mr Odinga.
Nasa co-principals Musalia Mudavadi and Kalonzo Musyoka said the killing of Mr Msando epitomised “the ugly face of political assassinations”.
“We should not be talking about assassinations and extra-judicial killings in a democracy like Kenya,” Mr Musyoka told a mammoth crowd at Gusii stadium.
Mr Mudavadi and Mr Moses Wetang’ula called for open and speedy investigations into the killing so that Kenyans can know the truth.
ELECTIONS
The function was attended by, among others, Kitutu South MP, also the Nasa chief campaigner in Kisii Richard Onyonka, Kisii Governor James Ongwae and his deputy Joash Maangi.
Others were senatorial and woman rep candidates Prof Sam Ongeri and Ms Janet Ongera, respectively.
Earlier, the leaders had divided themselves into two groups, one led by Mr Odinga and the other by Mr Mudavadi as they criss-crossed the county in their last pitch ahead of the elections five days away.
One team that was led by Mr Mudavadi toured Magenche, Etago and Suneka before converging with Mr Odinga’s team at Gusii stadium for the main rally.
At Masimba, where Mr Odinga started his campaign, the opposition leader said President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto had presided over the theft of more than Sh350 billion in the years they have been in power.
POVERTY
Mr Odinga said IDPs from other regions were paid as much as Sh400,000 and given land, while those from Kisii were given a paltry Sh50,000.
“They are saying they have closed the IDPs file when many of them are still languishing in poverty,” he said.
He flew by helicopter to various places where he criticised Jubilee for allegedly telling falsehoods about its development record.
DEVELOPMENT
Mr Odinga assured the electorate that Nasa will ensure all projects that stalled will be completed when it takes over power.
“We managed to do most of the roads Jubilee is claiming to have done and we assure you we will complete them,” he said.
Mr Odinga said the Nasa government will increase funding for counties from the current 15 per cent to 45 per cent to spur development in the grassroots.
