By CASPER WAITHAKA cwaithaka@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Monday, August 15 2011 at 22:00
Posted Monday, August 15 2011 at 22:00
IN SUMMARY
- Candidates use Obama-style campaign methods to attract ballots
With two days to the ballot, campaigns for the Kamukunji by-election have reached fever pitch, with social media now the weapon of choice.
Candidates turned to SMS, voice calls, Facebook and Twitter while also criss-crossing the constituency in search of last-minute votes.
They roped in community leaders, businesspeople, women, youth and political activists in aggressive door-to-door campaigns.
The by-election is clearly a litmus test for both ODM and PNU in the supremacy stakes in Nairobi politics.
PNU candidate Yusuf Hassan has the Kikuyu Council of Elders backing him.
Led by the chairman Simon Wachira, the elders are mobilising grassroots support through village committees.
“We followed the advice of our leader, Uhuru Kenyatta, to go this way,” he said.
Mr Wachira urged Mr Hassan to serve all communities if elected.
ODM candidate Ibrahim Ahmed has the full weight of re-elected Nairobi mayor George Aladwa behind him.
Mr Aladwa won the seat last week and it would be a major boost for ODM should it take the Kamukunji seat as well.
“This is the man who fought for justice in Kamukunji and understands what you want. He is always available and the party has found him fit to represent the constituency,” Mr Aladwa said.
Narc-Kenya candidate Brian Weke, 30, is banking on his youthfulness to garner the younger people’s vote.
Other contenders are Ms Muthoni Kihara of GNU, Mr Geoffrey Mutuku of TIP, Mr James Matagaro of Kenya Social Congress, Mr David Wahiga of Agano and Mr Daniel Omao of Ford People.
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