NAIROBI, Kenya Dec 31-Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga took a swipe at Deputy President William Ruto for giving empty promises to Kenyans since 2013.
While speaking at the Bukhungu Stadium, Odinga said that his policy since his time in the grand coalition government where he served as Prime Minister under Mwai Kibaki’s regime, is to promise and deliver.
“We don’t want people who go and out there making noise. Just ask Ruto he has been making noise. Kibaki and I left Mumias being operational. Ruto has been in government since 2013 and he is busy saying that once he gets to government he will revive Mumias. Why has he failed in all those years?” Odinga posed.
He paraded the investors of the Uganda-based conglomerate Sarai Group who recently won the lease for the assets of Mumias Sugar after emerging top in a bidding process that lasted four months.
The ODM leader alluded that Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala was among the leaders who impeded investors from taking over the ailing sugar company.
Refering to Malala as ‘Omondi’, Raila said, “he ran to the court with others to impede Sarrai from taking over Mumias. This is the new investor and I want him in six months Mumias company should be up and running.”
This appears to be the bag of goodies that Odinga carried to the residents of the Western region as he seeks to lock the vote-rich region under the Azimio Movement in the 2022 polls.
“We will build industries here in Kakamega so that we can do value addition for the assets in this region,” promised Odinga.
Odinga also promised to create a venture of employment for the youth in the country should he win the statehouse race in the 2022 polls.
“There a lot of youth from the western region who go to the city in search of employment. In Nairobi, they are lot of Luyhas as they have no choice. There are no jobs in Kakamega and Vihiga but we will improve the economy so that the youth attain employment,” said Odinga.
This is even as he urged the youth to enroll as voters ahead of the 2022 General Election, saying it is the only arsenal to enable him to clinch the top seat in the 2022 government.
“You must have the gun (ID ) and the bullet (voter card) so that when I say forward march, we are together,” urged Odinga.
During the Cnvention, elders from various communities in Western Kenya declared support for Raila Azimio La Umoja and his quest for the presidency in the August 2022 election.
The declaration was read out on Friday, during the Bukhungu Stadium convention attended by dozens of leaders from across the country. Several Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and other government officials were also present.
“We the elders of the Western region, noting that the country is geared towards a political transition, we, therefore, resolve and direct that the region shall be part of the Azimio La Umoja under the leadership of Raila Odinga,” they said in a statement read out by Peter Ludama.
The Convention was organised by COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli.
COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli addressing a rally during the Bukhungu II Convention held on December 31, 2021 when elders endorsed ODM leader Raila Odinga for the presidency in the August 2022 election.
During the meeting, Several MPs and MCAs ditched Ford Kenya and Amani National Congress (ANC) party for Odinga’s ODM, vowing to support his presidential bid.
