President Uhuru and Raila Odinga begin scramble for vote-rich miraa growing area

A woman vends miraa at Karama, Igembe central, during the visit of CORD leader Raila Odinga in Maua, on April 30,2016. Politicians are using the crop as a political merchandise, to try and win the hearts of Igembe residents ahead of the 2017 general elections. [PHOTO: PETER MUTHOMI/Standard]

As the tussle for votes ahead of next year’s elections hots up, two leading political coalitions have found a new battle ground — the vote-rich miraa growing Nyambene region.

Jubilee’s Uhuru Kenyatta and CORD’s Raila Odinga are leaving nothing to chance as they seek to lay claim to being the ‘saviour’ of the miraa sub-sector, which was hit hard by the ban of exports to Europe two years ago.