BY FRED MAKANA
Azimio La Umoja presidential hopeful Raila Odinga has distanced himself from the alleged hate speech remarks during a rally in Wajir county.
Raila instead issued an apology for those who may have mistaken his madoadoa remarks to mean tribal hatred.
“Kama kuna mtu yeyote ambaye hakunielewa vizuri, ambaye ameona kama kuna makosa, pole sana, pole sana,” Raila said.
He maintained that he only meant to consolidate Azimio La Umoja support base by rallying Wajir residents to elect the coalition’s candidates in the August 9 general elections.
“I wish to say sorry for those who mistook my remarks to mean tribal hatred. I reiterate my remarks were in good faith and were meant to call on Azimio supporters to support candidates vying through the coalition and it’s constituent parties,” Raila said.
The Azimio supremo spoke in Kisumu when he addressed a mammoth crowd ahead of his unveiling as the coalition’s presidential flag bearer on Saturday in Nairobi.
The Azimio leader went ahead to say that his remarks are different from Meru Senator Mithika Linturi’s remarks that were made in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu during the UDA rally.
He said that Linturi’s comments were targeting certain community members leaving in Rift Valley, while his was about politics.
During the rally that was attended by the all region’s governors Anyang Nyongo(Kisumu), James Ongwae(Kisii), Amos Nyaribo(Nyamira), Cyprian Awiti(Homabay) Cornel Rasanga(Siaya), Raila once again asked police not to harass boda boda riders saying the contribute alot to the country’s economy.
He was also joined by Governors Charity Ngilu(Kitui), Alfred Mutua(Machakos), Hassan Joho(Mombasa), Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) and host of senators and MPs.
“Let the police target criminals within the sector but not harass other riders who are honest in their work,” Raila said.
Speaker after speaker called on Nyanza residents to enlist for voting in large numbers and turn up in large numbers during the high stakes polls.
Kieni MP Kanini Kega called on Nyanza voters to turn out in large numbers during the August polls.
“I call upon all Nyanza residents to turnout in large numbers unlike in previous elections to send Raila to State House in the first round,” Kega said.
