Raila fights to regain favour in western

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga addresses a rally at Chavakali grounds on July 17, 2016. The Cord leader said he had reached out to Mr Mudavadi to join him in forming a formidable alliance to remove the Jubilee coalition from power next year. PHOTO | TOM OTIENO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • He also said he rallied for the election of then Councillor George Aladwa as the Nairobi Mayor.
  • The Cord leader gave a 30-day notice to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to leave office or face more street protests.
  • Deputy President William Ruto, who has made six trips to the area in the past three months, has declared his intention to wrest the region from Mr Odinga.

Coalition for Reforms and Democracy leader Raila Odinga on Monday launched a campaign to restore the popularity of his party, which has been rocked by resignations and protests in recent days.

Mr Odinga, who started a five-day tour of the former Western Province, sought to tighten his grip on the area by reminding the people of the positions he said he handed to Luhya leaders when he was the Prime Minister in the Grand Coalition Government.

Mr Odinga claimed credit for the appointments of current Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi as deputy prime minister, Mr Kenneth Marende as Speaker, former Cabinet Ministers Paul Otuoma (Fisheries), Wycliffe Oparanya (Planning), and Ababu Namwamba (Sports) and Assistant Ministers Sospeter Ojaamong, George Khaniri and Alfred Khang’ati.

He also said he rallied for the election of then Councillor George Aladwa as the Nairobi Mayor.

“I did more things for the western region than Nyanza during my tenure as the prime minister in the grand coalition government,” he said in Vihiga County, where he started his tour.

Vihiga is the home turf of Mr Mudavadi who abandoned ODM before the 2013 elections and contested the presidency on the Amani Coalition ticket.

Mr Odinga said he was responsible for the repair of some of the roads in the region, adding: “Vote for me and you will realise more of this development.”

He was accompanied by Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, his Siaya counterpart Mr Cornel Rasanga, and several Orange Party MPs.

Emuhaya MP Wilbur Ottichilo, who was among 11 politicians from western Kenya who last month expressed dissatisfaction in the party, also attended the rallies and is expected to receive Mr Odinga in his constituency on Wednesday.

The Cord leader said he had reached out to Mr Mudavadi to join him in forming a formidable alliance to remove the Jubilee coalition from power next year.

“I spoke to Mudavadi yesterday and asked him to join us in ODM. We want to come together all of us so that we can form the next government,” said Mr Odinga, who advised the region to shun Jubilee, saying it had not brought any development to western Kenya.

Mr Mudavadi, however, denied having talked to the ODM leader saying he was more interested in the Luhya community presenting a single presidential candidate than joining other coalitions.

“I am not aware of any conversation with him (Odinga). I would rather the community united behind one presidential candidate and that is what ANC is working on,” he said in a statement.

POWER STRUGGLE
The Cord leader gave a 30-day notice to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to leave office or face more street protests.

Mr Odinga was, however, forced to cut short his speech at Mudete trading centre where rowdy youths asked him to support Mr Mudavadi.

But he went on to open an ODM office in Sabatia, the home of Mr Mudavadi. Some youths carried placards reading: “Vihiga is an ANC Zone.”

Mr Odinga said the Luo and the Luhya had all along been united, noting that his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, worked hand in hand with Masinde Muliro.

“These people are trying to use the divide and rule method to scatter our votes,” he told a meeting of party delegates before embarking on roadside rallies, causing a huge traffic jam on the Kisumu-Kakamega road, where he got a warm welcome.

Mr Odinga is keen to retain the support of the region that voted for him in the last elections in the face of a strong onslaught by the Jubilee coalition.

Deputy President William Ruto, who has made six trips to the area in the past three months, has declared his intention to wrest the region from Mr Odinga.

“We will go to Western, Eastern and even Nyanza until we make sure Jubilee has united all Kenyans,” Mr Ruto said on Sunday.

Mr Odinga’s visit is meant to calm a restless region, whose leaders have accused him of frustrating them in the ODM and vowed to explore alternatives.

Two weeks ago, Budalang'i MP Ababu Namwamba quit his position as secretary-general, while his Funyula counterpart, Mr Paul Otuoma, resigned as vice-chairman, jolting the party.

The Cord leader is expected to pitch tent for two days in Mr Namwamba’s Busia home-turf.

Senior politicians from the region led by Mr Mudavadi have been rallying the Luhya community to abandon Mr Odinga and vote for one of their own, a narrative that has been picked up by Mr Namwamba.

“The political intrigues by Cord and Jubilee are a scheme to ensure the Luhya nation remains divided in 2017 and does not support a candidate from the region for presidency,” said Mr Mudavadi ahead of Mr Odinga’s visit.