Raila supports Munya as he pleads his case in Mt Kenya

 

NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga campaigns in Laare, Meru County. He was accompanied by NASA principals Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula.[Emanuel Wanson, Standard]

Opposition leaders yesterday returned to Meru, promising to improve milk prices and resolve boundary disputes between the county and its neighbours.

Speaking during yet another campaign tour of Meru the leaders rallied support for Meru Governor Peter Munya’s re-election.

At Karama market in Tigania East and Kangeta in Igembe Central, the leaders endorsed Munya, asking voters to reject what they described as ‘Uhuruto cronies’ such as Jubilee governor candidate Kiraitu Murungi and Mithika Linturi (Senate).

They accused the Jubilee administration of losing large sums of money to corruption and theft during its five years in office.

“For every shilling they spend in the country, they steal another. In their term, Sh350 billion has been lost,” Raila said at Kangeta and Maili Tatu.

Raila also accused Jubilee of playing politics with food.

“They think they can distribute subsidised food at political rallies. What about where no rallies are being held or those not attending rallies?” asked Raila.

At Ngundune, Raila pledged to raise the stipend paid to elderly persons to Sh5,000 from the current Sh2,000, lower the qualification age for beneficiaries from the current 70 years to 65 years, and expand the scheme to cover single mothers.

He said NASA’s free primary and secondary education pledge was different from Jubilee’s offer.

“Ours will come with a provision for stationery, school milk, and uniform. All the students need to do is turn up to learn,” said Raila.

He said Jubilee had been unable to deliver the promised laptops in five years.

Raila also said NASA would establish industrial innovation parks in major towns including Meru and Maua to train, mentor, and finance youth business setups to resolve the problem of the 12.5 million jobless youths.

The leaders accused Uhuru of showing disregard for Kenyans by skipping Monday’s presidential candidates’ TV debate.

NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga said Uhuru skipped the debate because he feared being taken to task by Kenyans for loss of public funds and spiralling cost of living.

Ford-K party leader Moses Wetang’ula also criticised Uhuru for skipping the debate and asked Kenyans to punish Jubilee for showing disregard to Kenyans.

Speaking in Tharaka Nithi before he joined his colleagues in Meru, Musalia Mudavadi said NASA would implement the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission report.

“Once elected to form the next government, we will ensure the National assembly and the Senate have the TJRC report discussed as their first item,” said Mudavadi.

He said Tharaka Nithi people will be beneficiaries if the report was implemented especially on land which has been a contentious issue between them and neighbouring counties. [Wainaina Ndung’u, Dickson Mwiti, Joseph Muchiri]