Raila keeps an eye on Meru vote

Prime Minister Raila Odinga returned to the greater Meru on Saturday in what is increasingly appearing as a sustained campaign to popularise himself in the region ahead of the next General Election.. Photo/FILE 

By PETER LEFTIE, pmutibo@ke.nationmedia.com and PMPS
Posted  Saturday, July 30  2011 at  22:03

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Prime Minister Raila Odinga returned to the greater Meru on Saturday in what is increasingly appearing as a sustained campaign to popularise himself in the region ahead of the next General Election.

Saturday's was the PM’s fourth visit to the region in the last two months, pointing to his determination to win the support of the Meru community.

But while addressing wananchi at various stopovers, the PM denied that he had embarked on pre-mature campaigns for the country’s presidency saying his current tours in the countryside were purely for development purpose.

The PM who was accompanied by assistant minister Kilemi Mwiria, Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara and former Kabete MP Paul Muite termed as mere propaganda reports that his frequent forays into the greater Meru region were meant to popularise himself to the community ahead of next year’s General Election.

However, former Ntonyiri MP Maoka Maore who is emerging as one of the PM’s pointmen in the region openly campaigned for the PM, telling the Meru community to support a presidential candidate committed to implementing the new Constitution and not those who opposed its enactment.

Mr Maore said the contract the Meru people had with President Kibaki has ended, and now they must elect a person with the drive and conviction to implement the new constitution. “You should be wary of people who opposed the constitution and are now masquerading as its champions,” he added.

The attack appeared directed at one of the 2012 presidential contenders, Eldoret North MP William Ruto who led the campaign against the new Constitution ahead of last year’s referendum.

Noting that his role in the struggle for the second liberation of the country spoke for itself, the PM said he was determined to forge greater unity among all Kenyans, hence the tours.

The PM opened Mugambo multi-media centre and youth empowerment centre in Tigania West constituency.

No revenge

He reiterated that he had no reason to take revenge against the Gikuyu, Embu and Meru communities (Gema) in the event that he was elected President, saying the communities had not wronged him.

“Indeed in our struggle for the second liberation of this country, I was with prominent personalities from the Gema community like Kenneth Matiba, Charles Rubia, Gitobu Imanyara and Paul Muite with whom we were imprisoned, detained and/or tortured,” he said.
“If I have forgiven those who detained me during those dark days, then why can’t I forgive anyone else if they have wronged me,” he went on.

Mr Odinga observed that the new Constitution was a milestone in the development of this country and called on Kenyans to ensure its complete implementation.
He said the successful implementation of the Constitution would be a triumph against forces working for retention of the status quo, a veiled attack at Mr Ruto.

On development, he said the area was poised to benefit from the Lamu corridor which he added was the single most important project undertaken in the country since independence.

He noted that the port will be the origin of a rail and road network running through Garissa, Meru, Isiolo, Marsabit to Ethiopia and a similar link going through Samburu, Lodwar to Juba in South Sudan.

On the drought management, Mr Odinga said the government was investing a lot of funds in irrigation projects to wean the country of dependency on rain-fed agriculture.

He said there was enough food for distribution to the affected people in drought stricken areas, adding no Kenyan would die of hunger.