Raila back to Kajiado as political dynamics change

Kajiado Senator Peter Mositet (right) and Taraiya Ole Kores both who lost the Jubilee primaries, address journalists where they announced that they will ditch the party following the alleged manipulation of results last Wednesday. photo by PETERSON GITHAIGA

As the scramble for votes takes shape ahead of August 8 elections, the ruling party Jubilee and the opposition National Supper Alliance (NASA) have turned their focus on the Kajiado and Narok vote.

NASA leader Raila Odinga and his team are expected in the county tomorrow where they will officially receive former Kenya Meat Commission chairman Taraiya ole Kores and Senator Peter Mositet who are now supporting the incumbent Dr David Nkedianye of ODM/ NASA.

The two defected from Jubilee after losing in the primaries. Raila’s visit  follows a series of secret meetings to plan on how to defeat the ruling party that had dominated in the county.

The last meeting between Raila and the duo was held on Saturday at a Karen hotel where the Kajiado politicians agreed to join the NASA team. The meeting was also attended by Mr James Orengo among other leaders.

The team will first have a meeting at Mr Ole Kores’s home at Oloodokilani village near Kajiado town before heading to Kiserian to the home of Mositet. However, they will also address roadside meetings in Isinya and Ongata Rongai on their way.

Earlier, Jubilee Party had banked on the Mosiro by-election, to give the new party their first elected representative which they lost.

ODM is also purring with confidence for having exacted the second electoral defeat in Kajiado County, following their triumph in the Kajiado Central by-election, which was left vacant after Joseph Nkaissery was appointed Internal Security CS.

Jubilee might justify the loss by saying the two seats belonged to ODM anyway and that the margin of defeat, especially in Mosiro, at 33, was negligible. However, just as they say facts are stubborn, the uncomfortable fact for the party led by Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, is that a win is a win, and in this case, it is the Opposition party that celebrated.

It should be recalled that CORD leader Raila Odinga, before, during and after the burial of William ole Ntimama, has been talking about ‘historical injustices’ and the implementation of the Truth and Justice Commission Report on land.

Clearly Mr Odinga had done his homework and knew that matters to do with land are quite sensitive in Maa counties such as Narok and Kajiado, which explains why his speech, during Ntimama’s funeral, was received with wild appreciative cheers.

Raila has indeed been traversing the two counties trying to woo the Maasai, while the government is also banking on job appointment it has given to community.

However, Kajiado North MP Moses Sakuda says Raila’s strategy has been to portray the Government as corrupt, incompetent and not concerned by the plight of the pastoral communities.

"Kajiado County is a Jubilee zone, we know that the propaganda used by Raila is to tarnish the Government's development record, we will show them dust come August 8," said Sakuda.

He said the Jubilee administration’s development record for the Maasai people speaks for itself.

"When we talk about rural electrification, Jubilee has connected 42,000 households to the national grid. For more than 70 years, the previous governments only managed to connect 7,000 households,” said Sakuda who is contesting as an Independent candidate.

Interior Security Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaisery was recently quoted saying the recent forays by NASA into the county will not change the voting pattern.