Ruto manifesto launch set for June 30
Deputy President William Ruto will launch the Kenya Kwanza Alliance manifesto on June 30.
Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok the chairman of the Ruto presidential campaign said the manifesto will be radically different from the rival Azimio-One Kenya Alliance.
Addressing the Kenya Kwanza followers in Nyamira town yesterday, Nanok dismissed the Azimio manifesto which he said does not address the challenges of the young people.
“Our Kenya Kwanza manifesto could address every challenge which every county faces up to the village level,” Nanok said.
He asked the Abagusii community to reject Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga claiming that his candidature was sponsored by the rich.
“I have worked with Raila for a long time since 2005 but I want to honestly tell you that this could be the wrong man when it comes to the seat of presidency,“ he added.
Raila’s Azimio camp on Monday night launched its manifesto at Nairobi’s Nyayo Stadium.
Nanok asked Kenyans to support Ruto’s candidature who he said was a performer and a hustler who understands the poor.
Trans Nzoia governor Patrick Khaemba who accompanied Nanok told members of the Kisii community to discard the culture of dividing their votes every time they go for the General Election by voting for Ruto as a bloc.
“Kisii’s are known for dividing their votes when voting for presidential candidates but we hope that this time round, things could be different as their votes could go to one basket of Ruto,” he stated.
Khaemba said in the Rift, they have resolved to vote for Ruto as a bloc and asked the Nyanza region to support Ruto’s candidature if they expect the ailing economy in the area to improve.
The Kenya Kwanza leaders from Nyamira county led by West Mugirango Vincent Kemosi and governor aspirants Walter Nyambati (UDA) and Joseph Kiangoi (ANC) said residents of the county have resolved to support Ruto for the top seat.
Lead by example
Elsewhere, campaigning in western Kenya, Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi challenged President Uhuru Kenyatta to lead by example by rallying voters in his Kiambu County behind Azimio-One Kenya before asking for backing from other regions.
Mudavadi, accompanied by Ford-K leader Moses Wetangula, told a Kenya Kwanza campaign rally in Nambilima market, in Malava constituency that Raila is a hard sale in Western region and if Uhuru wants to help his candidate he should first rally support from his home turf first.
He observed that the Luhya community had no stake in the Azimio formation and challenged Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya and defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa to publicly declare how the region would benefit in voting for Azimio.
He said Western region had lagged behind in development under successive government administration for pegging inclusion in government to public appointments.
“I am challenging Oparanya and Wamalwa to go public about our stake in the Azimio government, which is more superior to the 30 per cent we have negotiated,”Mudavadi said.
Mudavadi also weighed in on failed attempts to block the nomination bids of Kenya Kwanza candidates for governorship senators Johnson Sakaja (Nairobi) and Cleophas Malala (Kakamega) when they appeared before the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for clearance.
“The entire Azimio is not friendly to the Luhya dream. They blocked Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi’s bid for governor in favour of Polycarp Igathe. Then they attempted to derail our candidates in Sakaja, Malala and Alfred Agoi in Vihiga county because they are running scared.”
Wetangula said Luhyas should forget about Azimio, and should not allow themselves to be held hostage by ‘three families’ allegedly running the show in the 21-member party political conglomerate.
He said the region was ignored in terms of development by political regimes they had helped to put in power. “We cannot fetch firewood, wash utensils, cook and then you direct us to step aside when its meal time. We supported Raila until he assumed that he was more Luhya than us. Let us see where he will get Luhya voters from,” he poised.
