NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 19 – Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Leader Raila Odinga began his four-day campaign tour of the coastal region on Saturday making his first stop in Kilifi County where he rallied residents to support his presidential bid.
Odinga made stops in Ganze, Bemba, Kaloleni, Mariakani and in Rabai.
The ODM leader who returned back to the campaign trail after taking a 10-day break, told his supporters not to entertain his critics who continue to label him as a state project.
“If anyone refers to me as a project tell them they are fools,” he said while addressing a crowd in Bemba.
The former Prime Minister stressed that he is his own man and not President Uhuru Kenyatta’s project citing his previous bids to ascend to power.
“I was in the race with them in 2013 and in 2017. I even went to court to challenge my victory and the court ruled in my favor and ordered for a repeat poll, so why would they now claim that I am a project?” he posed.
Odinga has in recent days been trying to fight off the tag ‘project’, a label that continues to be fronted by his opponents led by Deputy President William Ruto and his allies who believe Odinga is President Kenyatta’s succession plan.
During the rally in Kilifi, Odinga implored upon the residents to ignore the propaganda and focus on his agenda that he has for the nation.
He in singled out his social economic welfare programme that of providing a Sh6,000 monthly stipend to poor households noting that the plan was doable.
“I was recently in India where the programme is working and the Prime Minister Nerendra Modi promised me that he will support the welfare here back in the country if I get to be elected,” he said.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, who led the region’s leaders in playing host to Odinga, told residents that their support to the Azimio Movement will not be in vain if they win the August polls.
“Levels of poverty in our region will drop significantly if Raila ascends to power because he has promised us and he will deliver,” he said.
Odinga will continue with his campaign on Sunday with a tour tour Mazeras, Miritini and Tononoka grounds in Mombasa County.
