NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 30- Former Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Executive Officer Halakhe Wako is among new entrants to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.
Waqo and other defectors who include former Party Leader of the Economic Freedom Party (EFP) Hassan Noor Hassan and the Mandera County Woman Rep Amina Gedow were received in ODM by party leader Raila Odinga.
“Nobody matches the record of democracy that Raila Odinga has since independence. ODM is a party of democracy, and we know that we have had only two parties since independence; ODM and KANU. The rest are just seasonal clubs for the convenience of votes. We are happy to join ODM,” Waqo said.
Hassan, who is the Chief Administrative Secretary for Education, said he will be seeking to vie for the gubernatorial seat under an ODM ticket.
“We will stand with you (Odinga) and your party even as we seek to form the next county government of Mandera. We urge you to push for the One shilling, One Kilometer on revenue allocation so that our people can attain resources,” said Hassan.
Speaking when he received the defectors, Odinga assured the residents of the Northeastern region will enjoy more opportunities after years of marginalisation.
“When we started the quest for a new constitution, our neo-colonizers knew it was an awakening point for the country. Every attempt we made, we were arrested but we knew that come what may, we must have a new constitution,” said Raila.
The ODM leader stated in the last eight years they have been tremendous growth in the region that lagged behind greatly in terms of economic and infrastructural growth.
Odinga emphasized that the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) which is currently in the Supreme Court after it was squashed by the Court of Appeal had laid the standards for spurred growth in the counties.
“This is just the beginning; we will come in to improve so that road improvements will be dominantly the work of devolved units. All BBI intended is to ensure that counties have enough resources to deliver services to Kenyans,” he said.
The Former Prime Minister promised to revitalize the manufacturing industry for meat and leather so as to boost the economy of pastoralist communities.
“We can change the standards of living of our people even with the Northeastern Region being an arid area. We will put in place water harvesting structures in arid areas to avert the adverse effects of drought,” Odinga said.
The scramble for elective seats in the North-Eastern region has intensified with different political factions being formed ahead of the polls.
Upya Movement led by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yattani and Eldas MP Adan Keynan are in high gear to clinch all elective seats in the region behind the handshake formation of starring President Uhuru Kenyatta and Odinga.
Deputy President William Ruto is seeking to lock seats under his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party with Garissa Township MP Aden Duale who is the patron of the pastoralists’ parliamentary group expected to spearhead the wooing of the region to the DP’s camp.
