Jubilee doesn’t care about you, Raila tells lower Eastern

NASA leaders at a campaign rally at Unoa Grounds in Wote, Makueni County. [Dennis Kavisu, Standard]

National Super Alliance (NASA) leaders Saturday accused the Jubilee government of economically marginalising Opposition strongholds, including the Ukambani region.

NASA flag-bearer Raila Odinga and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka said all the development projects in Ukambani were started during the grand coalition Government.

“When I was in Government with Kalonzo, we initiated the construction of the Makindu-Wote and the Kibwezi-Kitui roads, which I personally launched. After it took power, Jubilee promised to tarmac the Emali-Lokitoktok road but has not done so to date,” Raila said.

The Opposition leaders Saturday traversed Makueni County, asking the locals to vote for NASA, as Jubilee has given them a raw deal.

Raila cited the Konza City initiative, a Vision 2030 project that would have seen hundreds of young people from the region employed, saying it has stalled under the watch of the current government.

“Instead of expediting the start of Konza City, the Government chose to launch Machakos Modern City, which is a plan to kill Konza. Jubilee does not care about the Kamba at all,” the ODM party leader said at Makindu market, on the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway. Kalonzo dismissed claims by some local leaders that he received a raw deal in NASA.

He said the stake of the populous community is in the Opposition alliance, where he is the second in command.

“My brother Raila and I are like conjoined twins. We have a great vision for this great country. There is no Kamba name in the top hierarchy of Jubilee. On August 8, I will be in the ballot alongside Raila. Please do not let me down,” he said at Wote town.

Second fiddle

“Jubilee has been clear that they want only 100,000 votes from the Kamba nation. We want to tell them that they will not get the votes, the Kamba people just like majority of Kenyans who are tired with the Government will back NASA to the last person.”

National Assembly Minority Leader Francis Nyenze in April faulted Kalonzo for accepting to play second fiddle in NASA, claiming that the Kamba people were disappointed with the alliance’s line-up as they had expected him to be the flag-bearer. Governor Kivutha Kibwana was the only local leader who spoke at the rallies. The team, which also included Amani NAtional Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi and other leaders, flew in three helicopters to various venues where they addressed crowds of enthusiastic party supporters.

Other areas they visited included Mtito Andei, Kambu, Machinery, Kibwezi town.

They asked Kenyans to reject Jubilee in the August 8 polls, accusing the leaders of not to keeping their campaign promises and failing to tame corruption.

“After President Kenyatta ascended to the presidency, the country started going to the dogs. Kenya is now on the way to becoming a failed state. In terms of corruption, Kenya is in the super-league compared to other countries. With NASA, Kenya will be in the super-league of development,” Raila said.

“The Standard Gage Railway (SGR), which was my brainchild is the only thing they boast about. The only thing they did with it was inflate the costs by over Sh100 billion. We know what can be done to make Kenya great, please vote for us in August.”

Accompanying the principals were Kitui Governor Julius Malombe, Senators Mutula Kilonzo Jnr (Makueni) and James Orengo (Siaya), Makueni Woman Rep Rose Museo and Kibwezi West MP MP Jessica Mbalu. Also present were governor aspirants Charity Ngilu (Kitui) and Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos).

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