Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has adopted a new campaign tactic as he seeks to bolster his support across the country. The VP has resorted to meeting delegations from various communities before visiting their respective areas. In the last two months, he has held several meetings with professionals and community leaders to request their support for 2012. With most opinion polls consistently rating the VP between eight and 10 per cent in the last three years, Kalonzo is said to have resorted to meeting groups of leaders in a bid to improve his political standing.
Kalonzo is said to be targeting Central Kenya, Kisii, Rift Valley and Coast as his campaign bases and has been holding secret meetings with leaders from the areas. Consequently this weekend, the Mwingi North MP returns to Meru, a place he calls his ‘second home’ and Embu to seek the support of Mt Kenya region.
According to sources close to Kalonzo, the VP has met more than 10 delegations in the last two months in his Karen and Yatta homes. “He realises that sometimes he has to address specific issues at a certain area and thus these meetings are meant to inform him what is on the ground,” the source added. Yesterday the VP’s spokesman Kaplich Barsito confirmed that the VP would be in Chogoria in Tharaka Nithi and Embu counties to address public rallies.
Nithi MP Kareke Mbiuki said he would be hosting the Vice President as a national leader in his backyard saying all leaders were welcome. “We the Meru people welcome every aspirant to come and sell his policies but as to whom we will support, the decision will come later,” he said.
ODM Kenya MPs have been calling on the Mt Kenya region to support Kalonzo, saying he should be rewarded for supporting Kibaki in 2008. Information minister Samuel Poghisio, MPs Johnstone Muthama, Philip Kaloki, Shakila Abdalla and Mohamed Affey have led the chorus of those who want the region to endorse their party leader. “It natural that he should be their heir apparent to Kibaki since he is the number two in command,” Affey said.
On his part, Muthama argued that the people of central Kenya should pay back Kalonzo for supporting joining him saying this single cat brought stability to the Kibaki presidency. This is what is said to have informed a weekend rally in Kinangop, Nyandarua where six MPs endorsed him for 2012.
The MPs included David Ngugi (Kinangop), Muthama (Kangundo), Silas Muriuki (Imenti North), Francis Baya (Ganze), Kaloki (Kibwezi) and Francis Nyamu (Tetu). Muriuki, Nyamu and Ngugi come from Mt Kenya and are now said to be Kalonzo’s point men in the region. “If one is the Vice President and the President is retiring, then it may as well mean that he takes over the support that we gave the president,” Murikui said. Late last month, Kalonzo toured Baringo County where he was hosted by Eldama ravine MP Moses Lessonet. In Baringo the VP spoke well of former retired President Daniel Arap Moi saying he owes his rise in leadership to Moi who appointed him to serve in various dockets.
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