Western, city politicians back President’s bid

Deputy President William Ruto addresses residents of Rongai, Kajiado County, during a campaign rally on September 5, 2017. He was accompanied by President Uhuru Kenyatta. They are seeking for votes in order to win the repeat presidential poll in October. PHOTO | CHARLES KIMANI | DPPS

What you need to know:

  • The delegation was led by Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka.
  • The President termed Nasa presidential candidate Raila Odinga as a man who thrived on agitating for ethnic division.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday held a meeting with politicians from the Luhya community to come up with strategies of getting votes from the region in the October 17 repeat election.

The meeting, at State House Nairobi, saw several politicians who were hitherto in Nasa defect to the Jubilee Party.

They included former Vihiga governor Moses Akaranga and Bungoma gubernatorial candidate Alfred Khangati.

VOTES
Former presidential candidate Cyrus Jirongo was also in the group, as was former Cabinet minister Chris Okemo, who unsuccessfully vied for the Nambale parliamentary seat on a Labour Party of Kenya ticket.

“Everybody who matters in the Mulembe nation was at State House today.

"We are telling Raila that the donkey is tired of being in the Opposition, we will all go out there and campaign for President Kenyatta to secure majority votes in the our Luhya counties of Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia and Vihiga,” Mr Khang'ati told the Nation.

CAMPAIGNERS
Nairobi businessman Babetuu Amutavi who unsuccessfully contested the Shinyalu parliamentary seat said the leaders had agreed to lead President Kenyatta’s re-election campaign.

“We will start President Uhuru’s campaigns in western on Thursday, it is all systems go, we will leave nothing to chance,” Mr Amutavi told Nation.

Others in the meeting included former Cabinet ministers Fred Gumo and Musikari Kombo, and former National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende.

The delegation was led by Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka.

CJ MARAGA
The President, in a statement from the PSCU, defended himself against claims that he was fighting the Gusii by attacking Chief Justice David Maraga following the nullification of his victory last Friday.

He maintained that his criticism of the Supreme Court ruling did not amount to attacking the Gusii.

“We have no problem with the people of Kisii and Nyamira. We disagree with the ruling of the court, not the community,” Mr Kenyatta was quoted.

He termed Nasa presidential candidate Raila Odinga as a man who thrived on agitating for ethnic division, and voters had shown their displeasure by rejecting him at every election.

POLL LOSERS
President Kenyatta welcomed the support from the leaders, saying it signified Jubilee’s popularity across the country.

Deputy President William Ruto said Jubilee won the election with the party having 31 Woman Reps, 29 governors, 170 MPs, 27 senators and 800 MCAs.

Meanwhile in Nairobi, President Kenyatta's campaign got a shot in the arm from candidates who lost in the elections.

Jubilee poll losers in the city have formed an association comprising those who vied as independent candidates or Jubilee-affiliate parties, and who have vowed to campaign for Mr Kenyatta.

MOBILISERS
Former chief whip and interim chairman Hashim Kamau, who led over 50 politicians, said that they will marshal Nairobi residents in a bid to recover the over 37,000 votes Jubilee lost to Nasa flag-bearer Raila Odinga.

Mr Kamau said that although they lost, they all had followers who voted for them and they would start door-to-door campaigns from Wednesday.

“The President got about 40,000 votes less than Mr Odinga’s. We want to campaign for him to ensure he bags these votes and more,” the politician said.

He urged the losers to work with the President who they were sure would not leave them in the cold.

Former South C MCA Diana Kapeen said they would form small groups to ensure they comb the entire city before the elections.

Additional reporting by Lillian Mutavi