Azimio La Umoja Presidential hopeful Raila Odinga has pledged to complete the development projects started by President Uhuru Kenyatta once he wins the presidency in the August general election.
Hundreds of Azimio La Umoja supporters thronged Mount Kenya University grounds and Thika Stadium in anticipation of ODM leader Raila Odinga’s address.
Raila who made a grand entry into Thika Town did not disappoint them as he assured that he will ensure the one-man-one-shilling revenue sharing formula as outlined in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) will be achieved despite the setbacks that the initiative suffered.
“The Mt Kenya region was the major casualty of the brakes that were put on by the BBI. But do not lose hope since BBI is on half-time and it will be back soon,” Raila said.
Some of the major ongoing projects are the dualling of the Kenol-Sagana-Marua highway and the Mau Mau road; which cuts across the counties of Nyandarua, Murang’a and Nyeri which Raila promised to complete once he takes over from President Kenyatta.
Mr Odinga castigated UDA-leaning MPs from the area for claiming he has no agenda for the region, asserting that he is the author of the roads being built in central Kenya during his time as a Cabinet minister for Infrastructure.
The ODM party chief was accompanied by Governors James Nyoro, Ndiritu Murithi, James Ongwae, Wycliff Oparanya, Hassan Joho and Agriculture CS Peter Munya among other political luminaries and members of the business community from the greater Mt Kenya region.
Speakers at the function identified key areas of concern that needed to be addressed by the next administration.
The Mount Kenya Foundation, the exclusive club of business magnates from the vote-rich region, have already endorsed Raila’s presidency. During the rally Raila dismissed claims that he is out to protect the interests of Mt Kenya tycoons saying all Kenyans are equal and those sowing seeds of division must be condemned.
The former prime minister said that although there has been first and second liberation, the third liberation will be economic revolution, so that every child can get equal opportunity.
“The third liberation is the economic revolution. Every child should get equal opportunity so that once they finish their studies, they are able to get jobs in the Education sector, electronics, Mechanics and such like jobs and not wheelbarrow,” he charged.
Raila further told the crowd that Agricultural production must be made to prosper and create wealth to all the farmers in Mt Kenya, adding that youths should also be given incentives to enable them start up their businesses and create self-employment.
He also maintained that his administration would help poor and vulnerable families with Sh6,000 per month under the Social Protection Fund.
At the same time Raila warned leaders spreading hate and divisive politics and sought to assure all Kenyans that they will be safe, regardless of where they live in the country.
“We know the language of incitement. Those who have been talking about removing (Madoadoa) spots, we are telling them they can’t succeed with their threats. I want to assure every Kenyan that they will be safe. Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta will not compromise and when it comes to Baba there’s no joking.”
The former Prime Minister said every Kenyan has a right to live anywhere in the country.
He added that every Kenyan will be protected by the government and no one should intimidate another because they are from a different tribe.
If he succeeds in his quest to become president, Mr Odinga said he will ensure that the area youth are cushioned against economic exclusion that has disillusioned them, and pushed many into delinquency and substance abuse.
He took a swipe at Deputy President William Ruto for claiming he was pushed out of the government through the handshake pact.
“I shook hands with the President when Dr Ruto was Deputy President. He started saying that the President was now supporting me politically. He ran away and launched a war against the Jubilee government saying it was not his product. If that is not hypocrisy, then I don’t know what it is,” he said.
This even as it emerged that the choice of Kiambu for the unveiling of Raila’s journey to the House on the Hill was strategically selected because of its massive political symbolism.
Kiambu is the country’s single most populous county in terms of the number of voters, giving it huge political significance in the state house battle.
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission 2017 register indicates Kiambu has 1,180,920 votes followed by Kakamega with more than 700,000 registered voters.
