Lobbies root for Odinga presidency in Gachagua's base
Lobbies root for Odinga presidency in Gachagua's base
By Stephen Munyiri
As presidential campaigns hot up, some lobby groups in Nyeri County have developed different strategies to campaign for Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga.
The Azimio Mathira Grassroots Initiative has launched a people-driven campaign strategy dubbed “Azimio Mashinani” that involves members of the community at grassroots vouching for Mr Odinga to be President.
It is composed of individuals who say they have knowledge, ideologies and goals similar to those of Mr Odinga.
“The group [wants] to ensure that Mr Odinga wins a decisive victory in the 2022 General Election, and [that] voters understand the objectives, philosophy and ideals of Azimio la Umoja spearheaded by Mr Odinga and his running mate Martha Karua,” said Mr Patrick Macheru Nderitu, the lobby secretary-general.
He said the group has embarked on grassroots lobbying and advocacy that will involve engaging the community in civic education on why Mr Odinga is the best candidate who will serve their interests, raising awareness and encouraging them to support and vote for him.
Mr Nderitu said in the run-up to the elections, members will travel around Mathira constituency and meet with voters, speaking to them in large crowds, small groups, or even one on one.
This, he said, will allow voters to get a better sense of who the candidate is, “rather than just relying on what they read about in the newspapers or see on television”.
“During the campaign period, we shall dispatch volunteers into local communities to meet with voters and persuade people to support our candidate. The volunteers will also be responsible for identifying supporters, and persuading them to mobilise others to campaign for Mr Odinga,” he said.
Mathira constituency is the backyard of Deputy President William Ruto's running mate Rigathi Gachagua.
Another lobby last week symbolically opened an Azimio office in a building owned by a Karatina businesswoman who in 2007 forcibly ejected Mr Odinga and his entourage from her hotel for his political stand.
Businesswoman Lucy Weru, whose daughter is married to one of the sons of the late former President Mwai Kibaki, made national headlines when she flushed out Mr Odinga and his entourage from her hotel in Karatina town, in the run-up to the 2007 General Election where Kibaki, who was seeking re-election for a second term, was facing a serious challenge from Mr Odinga
Last week, Jubilee secretary-general Jeremiah Kioni and Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri said Mr Odinga was gaining ground in Mt Kenya after he named his running mate, due to the messaging of his campaign team that “clearly shows Ruto has been lying to them”.
Mr Odinga’s campaign brigade has also been holding door-to-door meetings, face-to-face campaigns and using his campaign manifesto to win locals' hearts.
“Ours is to tell the truth as Ruto has lied to people for the last five years. Kenyans are now waking up, leading to Raila’s rise in opinion polls. Kenyans have decamped,” Mr Kioni said.
Mr Odinga, they said, was being marketed by the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya brigade as the best to resolve problems facing the Mt Kenya region.
“We are empowering locals with messages. We are now able to campaign freely, sell our candidate and manifesto and talk to people one by one,” Mr Wambugu said.
The leaders said Kenyans should expect a major shift by voters to Mr Odinga by July 15 “as the political wave shows where the country will be heading”.
They claimed the Ruto team was preparing to challenge the August election outcome in court “but we will ensure we win with a huge margin to avoid an unnecessary challenge”.
“Following the rise of Raila’s curve … UDA is preparing to challenge Raila in court. They know they have lost the 2022 polls. That is why they wrote to the DPP,” Mr Kioni said. BY DAILY NATION

Post a Comment