Raila woos voters in Eastern, pledges to steer economy

National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate Raila Odinga has told the Ameru that his is the only team that can steer the economy in the right direction.

The NASA flagbearer, who started his tour of Meru County at Nkubu town in South Imenti and proceeded to Mikinduri in Tigania East Saturday, told the residents to “rid Kenya of an ineffective Jubilee government”. “As NASA we want your support so that we can cross the River Jordan together, on our way to Canaan,” he said. Addressing a rally in Tigania, Raila pledged to fast track road projects and accused Jubilee of delaying the same for their own selfish interests.

He further promised to eradicate corruption that is rampant in the Jubilee administration.

At the same time, Raila claimed he had evidence linking Jubilee to a ballot papers printing firm that it planned to use to rig the August 8 elections.

“You should not support Jubilee, stay away from them,” Raila said.

Fooled by leaders

Winnie Kaburu, the Wiper gubernatorial candidate for Meru, urged residents to support Raila if they want to benefit from development.

“As you vote for me for governorship, please also vote Raila for president because we have what it takes to lift the region and country,” she said.

This came as Mount Kenya Youth Caucus, a lobby campaigning for President Uhuru Kenyatta, castigated Raila “for trying to divide the Ameru and Kikuyu for political expediency.”

The lobby faulted the NASA leader and termed his utterances ‘tribal.’ The lobby’s chairman Linford Mutembei said by insinuating that the Kikuyu had shortchanged Tharaka Nithi and Meru in terms of development, the NASA leader was sowing seeds of discord.

“Raila said the Kikuyu are cheating the Ameru that we are together yet there is no development in Meru. We have seen projects here and more are on-going and others are coming. Raila cannot claim we have not benefited from Jubilee,” he said.

The lobby further noted that by saying the Ameru should not be fooled by leaders from ‘central Kenya’ that they were one people, the NASA leader was fanning divisive politics.

“He is trying to drive a wedge between the Ameru and the Kikuyu and it is very regrettable, coming from a national leader who should be a unitary figure,” said Mutembei.