Send home all Jubilee candidates, Mudavadi tells voters in Western

Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi has moved to counter Jubilee Party's recent forays in his home turf.

Mr Mudavadi, who is heading National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate Raila Odinga's campaign team, has launched intense campaigns for his party's candidates in Western Kenya.

Last week, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto concluded an intense campaign tour of the region aiming to get a share of an estimated 1.9 million votes.

"These guys (Jubilee) have been in government for the past four years and they ignored Western completely while concentrating on taking development to other areas. Now they are coming around with empty promises to our people," Mudavadi said.

Mudavadi downplayed the possibility of Jubilee splitting NASA votes in the Western Kenya region, saying the party's recent rallies in the region were fruitless and would not bear fruit.

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"They are coming because they think they will split NASA votes. We are telling them they have miscalculated," said Mudavadi.

Speaking after receiving a number of party defectors including Lurambi Member of Parliament Raphael Otaalo who defected from Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), Mudavadi said Western Kenya will not be used as a stepping stone to power by Jubilee.

The Amani Party leader urged the region to support the party's candidates in August 8 polls.

Nonetheless, Mudavadi who is in charge of the NASA presidential National Campaign Committee urged Western to support the alliance's presidential  candidate,  Raila Odinga.

"We must all rally behind the engineer and give him all our votes to help us send the Jubilee administration packing but vote for ANC candidates for all the remaining seats," he said.

Speaking at the rally, Mudavadi said he would need big numbers of elected governors, senators, MPs and MCAs to give him a say in the National Super Alliance coalition (NASA).

He said the push by political parties under the alliance to support their own candidates would not split their unity.

"Each one of us in the coalition is determined to ensure their party has numbers that will count. I plead with you to elect ANC candidates right from the ward level to guarantee me the political muscle within NASA," he said.

Last week, ANC announced that it would bankroll its candidates' campaigns.