Jubilee Party is running scared, Nasa's Raila Odinga says

ODM presidential candidate Raila Odinga at a Nasa rally in Runyenjes, Embu on July 25, 2017. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • He criticised the President for failing to attend the presidential candidates’ debate on Monday.

  • He said Mr Kenyatta was afraid of being asked to talk about what he had done from his pre-election manifesto.

Orange Democratic Movement presidential candidate Raila Odinga accused Jubilee Party leaders of running scared after "wasting" the years of their administration, as the opposition took its campaign to Embu, Meru and Tharaka Nithi.

While addressing the residents of Runyenjes in Embu, Mr Odinga dismissed President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto, saying the two were running scared as seen in the last-minute launch of projects that cannot be completed before the August 8 elections.

Mr Odinga criticised the President for failing to attend the presidential candidates’ debate on Monday. He said Mr Kenyatta was afraid of being asked to talk about what he had done from his pre-election manifesto.

“You already know what our competitors promised. They pledged laptops for schools. Have you seen them? They promised to create employment opportunities. Where are they? They promised 10,000 kilometres of tarmac road, Where is it?” said Mr Odinga.

He added: “What we are promising, we will deliver. For every shilling they spend, an equal amount is lost through corruption. Ruto has been moving around with money in sacks for harambee, instead of implementing projects.”

He said he would not discriminate against any part of the country in carrying out development.

In an earlier rally, Nasa co-principal Musalia Mudavadi urged the residents of Tharaka Nithi to vote for Mr Odinga.

Addressing a campaign meeting at Kathwana Market, the county headquarters, while in the company of Makueni Senator Johnson Muthama, Mr Mudavadi said the country is set for a change on August 8.

'SUFFERED ENOUGH'

He said Kenyans had suffered enough under the rule of President Kenyatta and Mr Ruto, whom he termed heartless leaders who do not mind the plight of the poor.

He said Mr Kenyatta took over from President Mwai Kibaki when the government had a debt of Sh1 trillion and borrowed Sh3 trillion in one term, making the cost of living unbearable for most Kenyans.

“The Jubilee government has reduced Kenyans to beggars by borrowing at least Sh3 trillion in one term,” said Mr Mudavadi.

He said once the National Super Alliance is voted in, the cost of living would go down.

Mr Mudavadi said Mr Kenyatta skipped the presidential debate organised by mainstream media houses because he had no answers to many questions from Kenyans.

“Mr Kenyatta snubbed the debate because all the pledges he made to Kenyans during the campaign for the 2013 elections have remained just a dream,” he said.

Mr Mudavadi described Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki as a non-performer and a betrayer of the community. He promised to give the senator’s brother, Prof Isaiah Kindiki, one of the top positions in the Nasa government.

'PERSONAL INTERESTS'

Mr Muthama criticised Senator Kindiki, saying he was elected overwhelmingly by the residents, only to pursue his personal interests.

“Senator Kindiki has been an impediment to the growth of this county,” said Mr Muthama.

He asked the residents to drop him and elect any other individual if the county is to develop. He accused Prof Kindiki of using the poor community to accumulate wealth.

Mr Muthama said despite the county supporting leaders from Central Kenya for many years, the residents had remained poor.

He said Jubilee leaders in the devolved unit had sabotaged growth of the county headquarters and centralised development in Chuka.

“Once Nasa takes over, we want the national government offices and facilities in Chuka Town — including the Huduma Centre, the High Court and the county commissioner’s office, among others — to be moved to Kathwana,” said Mr Muthama.

A PLAN

The Machakos senator claimed that acting Internal Security Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i was being used by the Jubilee Party to implement a plan to rig the elections.

He warned the CS that Kenyans are alert and would ensure the polls are credible.

In Meru, Nasa leaders accused the Jubilee administration of killing the county’s economy by frustrating miraa farmers.

Addressing a rally in Meru on Tuesday, Mr Odinga said he would ensure miraa farmers get a market for the produce.

He was accompanied by Nasa co-principal Moses Wetang’ula, Mr Mudavadi, Mr Muthama and Nasa’s Tharaka Nithi coordinator Isaiah Kindiki.

Mr Odinga said the President kept promising miraa farmers a modern market but nothing had been done so far.

Report by Agnes Aboo, Isabel Githae, Alex Njeru and Charles Wanyoro.