Raila: ODM will win in Kajiado and Homa Bay

Homa Bay Kenya: ODM party leader Raila Odinga returns to Homa Bay County for the second time today as campaigns for the senatorial by-election enter the homestretch.

Raila, who yesterday witnessed the handing over of ODM's nomination certificate to Elijah Memusi Kanchori, who is running for the Kajiado Central parliamentary seat, declared that his party would win in the two by-elections.

He also accused President Uhuru Kenyatta, who picked ODM‘s Joseph Nkaissery to be Cabinet Secretary, occassioning the by-election, of applying the tactics he condemned former President Mwai Kibaki of when he picked members from Kanu while he was Opposition leader

Orange Democratic Movement Leader Raila Odinga returns to Homa Bay County today to campaign for the party's candidate a week to the senatorial by-election organised to replace the late Otieno Kajwang'.

Raila will address rallies today and tomorrow as campaigns for the seat intensify.

The official campaign period ends on February 10, some 48 hours to polling day, in an election crucial to ODM which is facing opposition from candidates who abandoned the Orange party in protest of the direct nomination given to Kajwang's younger brother, Moses.

The ODM leader criticised the Jubilee administration for what he claimed are unorthodox means to try and weaken the Opposition in Parliament.

Kajwang's campaign stops have on several occasions been disrupted by rowdy youths prompting complaints from ODM, who accuse the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of failure to act.

IEBC on Tuesday warned it could be forced to suspend the by-election or disqualify candidates citing violence during campaigns.

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), to which ODM is affiliated, accused the electoral body of laxity in dealing with perpetrators of violence against its candidate.

"ODM is a victim of impunity. Violence has been meted on our candidate in Homa Bay and to date no action has been taken," Raila charged.

A furious Raila accused the Jubilee government of failure to arrest and prosecute the culprits, who he claimed are well known.

The former Premier claimed that threats by IEBC to cancel the mini poll due to increased violence were insincere.

"It will be self-defeating for IEBC to cancel the by-election when they know they have not taken action against those reported to be sponsoring violence in Homa Bay County," he said.

He claimed ODM was the aggrieved party and blamed the Government and the security agencies for not ensuring there was enough security during the campaign period.

Raila said it is inexcusable for Jubilee to spend taxpayer's money to try and capture the Kajiado Central parliamentary seat, left vacant after Joseph Nkaissery, who was ODM MP, was appointed to Cabinet.

"When President Kibaki poached former Chepalungu MP John Koech and the late Njenga Karume from the Kenya African National Union (Kanu) and made them Cabinet ministers, the then Kanu leader Uhuru Kenyatta cried out loud and even vowed to go to court. Today, he is exercising the same, what has changed?" he asked.

Raila said ODM is not scared of facing Jubilee in Kajiado Central, declaring that the coalition will recapture the seat with a landslide.

"As ODM and CORD, we are prepared to go to Kajiado Central and campaign for our candidate. We are the lions and there is no day a lion has ever been scared of a leopard," he said.

Speaking during the presentation of the nomination certificate to Elijah Kanchori, the ODM candidate for the Kajiado Central by-election, at Orange House, Raila described the latter as the strongest candidate.

wide margin

Kanchori joined ODM claiming the Jubilee nominations, in which he lost to Patrick Tutui, were shambolic. Kanchori who decamped from the Jubilee Alliance Party to ODM garnered 9,523 votes, beating four other aspirants by a wide margin.

Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetang'ula advised Kajiado Central voters not to be enticed by "small handouts and appointments" by Jubilee because, "you know where your hearts belong".

"I urge our friends in Kajiado Central not to give away our seat. They should vote for our candidate and ensure that we retain the seat as a coalition," said Wetang'ula.

ODM Secretary General Ababu Namwamba said ODM and CORD are prepared for the Kajiado by-election campaigns and assured supporters of "sweet victory come March 16".

"This was our seat. It belongs to us. We shall go there and mount the mother of all campaigns. We shall not disappoint," pledged Namwamba.

Kanchori said he is not scared of, "Jubilee handouts and goodies".

"Let my people eat the money because it is theirs. Let them not be shaken by the appointments. They must welcome all this with open arms, but they know whom to vote for," he said.

Kanchori was presented with the certificate by Wetang'ula at a ceremony also witnessed by National Elections Board members.

Meanwhile, CORD MPs yesterday campaigned for Kajwang' ahead of Raila's tour today.

Senators Boni Khalwale (Kakamega), James Orengo (Siaya) and Johnston Muthama (Machakos) alongside MPs Silvance Osele (Kabondo Kasipul), John Mbadi (Suba) and Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem) asked residents to shun information which could polarise them politically. Orengo said the region should avoid divisions along Central and South Nyanza lines.

Speaking at Ringa trading centre in Kabondo Kasipul constituency, Orengo said: "There are a lot of achievements we have made due to our unity. We are one community and let this Homa Bay by-election not disintegrate us," Orengo said.

Dr Khalwale gave an example of his Luhyia community where he said disintegration had cost them a lot in the political arena.

"I want to be frank with you that the Luhyia community had severally divided their political support to many leaders. I assure you that we shall not go anywhere with divided political support," he said.

prepare ground

Osele said lack of unity may deter Raila from clinching the presidency in 2017.

"Our main concern right now is to prepare the ground so that Raila wins in 2017. But we cannot unite members of other communities if we are polarised," Osele said.

Jakoyo, Muthama and Mbadi said the Homa Bay race is a two horse race.

"I want you people to know that this battle is between us and the Government. Let us come out in large numbers and separate the chaff from the grains," Midiwo said.