NASA’s planned visit to West Pokot may not yield any tangible results. Find out why

NASA’s planned visit to West Pokot this week may not yield any tangible results to aide Raila Odinga’s bid to win the Presidential race in the region.

West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin, speaking on phone, said the region remains tightly glued to Jubilee Party and behind President Uhuru Kenyatta and it will take more than political rhetoric to sway the voters even as the opposition tours the area.

“There is no doubt about the side the region supports. We welcome all candidates to visit West Pokot, but the community already knows where it will mark the ballot,” he said.

The Governor supported by Pokot South MP David Pkosing and former Kapenguria MP Julius Murgor, who is eyeing the county’s senate seat, and other leaders from the region vowed to rally locals in supporting the Jubilee party.

On Tuesday,Mr Odinga received a delegation of defectors at his Orange House offices from West Pokot and Baringo, but the Governor noted that they were not endorsed by the community and that they were in Nairobi for their own selfish gains.

In the last four and half years, ODM and KANU have suffered a major blow losing key officials and supporters from West Pokot County to Jubilee.

Governor Kachapin who was elected on KANU ticket defected to Jubilee last year. Kachapin, flying the KANU ticket emerged victorious after garnering 60,859 votes against Micah Pkopus of United Republican Party, who got 18,145 votes and ODM’s Lipale Geoffrey who had 27,057 votes while TNA’s Ripko Krop got 1,760 votes.

Kapenguria MP Samuel Moroto of KANU has also defected to Jubilee.

“We had been loyal to KANU for a long time, but there were no tangible development in this region. In the last five years, the benefits are many for the community to speak of because of Jubilee. This area is now a Jubilee zone. The projects we have done and the policies we have set in place will help this county to spur economically,” said Mr Kachapin.

During the 2013 General Elections, President Uhuru Kenyatta garnered 79,772 votes representing about 73 per cent against Raila’s 24,962 with the turnout for the presidential election, in West Pokot County, standing at 90 percent.

This is the vote that NASA flag bearer is trying to eat into, but is facing headwinds in his cruise and with the announcement by the county officials that he is not going to win a major stake, eyes will be on his rally on Thursday to see what policy the ODM Kingpin will highlight in his speech.

During the 2013 elections, West Pokot voters elected MCAs from across the political divide and ODM was lucky to get at least two.

But arriving in the region as opposition would make their campaign lame even before President Uhuru and Deputy President William Ruto make their entry in the region soon.