NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 7-Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga says he will formally declare his presidential candidature on December 9.
Odinga said he is still mobilising support for his Azimio La Umoja slogan which will culminate to the much awaited announcement in a major rally to be held in Nairobi.
Even though he is widely viewed as a serious presidential candidate in the August 2022 presidential election, the former prime minister has not formally declared his candidature.
“I am still traversing the country. I have only been left with Ukambani and some parts of Mt.Kenya but December 9th is when I will declare whether I will go for it or not,” Odinga told a rally in Makongeni on Sunday in the raging campaigns to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta who retires in August 2022 at the end of his second and final term, “I will check whether my soldiers are well prepared or not.”
He said he has been waiting to be sure his supporters are registered as voters, describing them as “my soldiers.”
“I said I don’t want to go to the battle without a team that have the weapons which is an ID and a voters card,” he said and urged more youth to register as voters.
In August , Odinga launched his Azimio la Umoja campaign slogan in Nakuru county which mirrored his call for unity.
The ODM party leader alluded that although his political rivals are boasting of being way ahead when it comes to the 2022 political duel, he is confident that he will have prepared his arsenals before the presidential race.
He was referring to Deputy President William Ruto who has held more than 130 rallies in the last one month across the country while popularising his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
Others keen on the presidency are Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi, Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, KANU Party Leader Gideon Moi, FORD Kenya’s Moses Wetangula, businessman Jimi Wanjigi, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, former Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Mukhisa Kituyi and Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana among others.
“We are going for a tough war, and they started prepare their weapons way earlier and already they are claiming that they are ready for the 2022 political battle. We want to tell them being ahead is not indication that you will emerge first. We will go to the 2022 political battle when we are ready,” Odinga said.
While the halting of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) agenda was viewed as a big blow to President Kenyatta and Odinga , the latter quickly moved on and formed a new political slogan as he embarked on countrywide meetings to popularize his presidential ambition.
Odinga unveiled his strategic plan aimed at uniting the country ahead of the 2022 General election dubbed as ‘Azimio la Umoja’ which he says provides a conducive environment for the realization of the Vision 2030 development plan.
The ODM party leader said the objective was to dissect problems facing the country, among them political inclusion, divisive electoral processes, insecurity, corruption and reviving the economy.
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