Raila 'to woo voters in Jubilee strongholds'

Cord leader Raila Odinga in Adungosi, Busia County, on July 21, 2016. PHOTO | TOM OTIENO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Raila Odinga will hold meetings and rallies in Upper Eastern and Rift Valley regions to expand the party’s support base.
  • MPs Peter Kaluma, Shakeel Shabbir, Gideon Ochanda, Godfrey Odanga and Opiyo Wandayi and Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang indicated that there were elaborate plans on how the party would reach out to Jubilee zones to support Mr Odinga.

ODM leader Raila Odinga will target Jubilee strongholds to woo voters when he returns to the country soon, his allies have said.

Mr Odinga, who is the United States to attend the formal nomination of Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton, will hold meetings and rallies in Upper Eastern and Rift Valley regions to expand the party’s support base.

MPs Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay Town), Shakeel Shabbir (Kisumu East), Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Godfrey Odanga (Matayos) and Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja) and Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang indicated that there were elaborate plans on how the party would reach out to Jubilee zones to support Mr Odinga.

Mr Kaluma said when Mr Odinga returns to the country this weekend, he will first embark on a visit to the Coast before heading to Jubilee zones.

“The Cord leader will also be solidifying his coast and northeastern bases before spreading his wings to Rift Valley and upper eastern,” said Mr Kaluma.

He said that apart from raiding Jubilee zones, the party would be engaging those discontented with the ruling coalition parties’ merger to join the opposition.

“We will only be accepting those who have a genuine resolve that will benefit Kenyans. For instance, Nairobi Senator Mike Mbuvi Sonko is welcome in Cord, but he should join without any ultimatums,” said the MP.

Mr Kaluma said the party viewed secretary-general Ababu Namwamba’s absenteeism as a rebellion by a party official that was not principled but self-serving.

Mr Wandayi said: “In the last one month alone, we’ve received defectors from URP, ANC and other parties but we have  chosen not to make a big issue out of it”.