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Monday, November 28, 2011

Raila calls for unity before poll



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Prime Minister Raila Odinga acknowledges greetings from the faithful at St Paul’s ACK where he attended a function on November 27, 2011. He was on a tour of Murang’a and Kirinyaga counties. Photo/PMPS
Prime Minister Raila Odinga acknowledges greetings from the faithful at St Paul’s ACK where he attended a function on November 27, 2011. He was on a tour of Murang’a and Kirinyaga counties. Photo/PMPS  
By SAMUEL KARANJA samkache@gmail.com
Posted  Sunday, November 27  2011 at  22:30
Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Sunday asked Kenyans to ignore the KKK Alliance, saying the time for tribal politics was over.
He instead urged Kenyans to work towards a united nation.
Mr Odinga was speaking in Murang’a County where he made stop-overs in various towns in the county on his way to a church fundraiser in Kutus, Kirinyaga County.
While addressing a crowd at Kenol town, the ODM leader said Kenyans should not go to next year’s polls using tribal tags.
Shun KKK alliance
“You should shun the KKK Alliance and go to 2012 elections as people from one ‘K’ that stands for Kenya,” said Mr Odinga.
The Premier, who is in the race for the presidency in next year’s elections said “All of us should live as brothers not minding whether one is a Kikuyu, Luo, Kalenjin, Kamba or any other tribe,” he said.
He hailed development projects that have taken place in the country and cited the near completion of the Nairobi-Thika Super Highway as one of the mile stones of the coalition government.
Mr Odinga added that the Kenol-Murang’a-Sagana road will be upgraded into a dual carriage way to ease transportation of farm produce in the area.
In a move aimed at endearing himself to Central Kenya region, Mr Odinga while addressing a crowd at Saba Saba town described himself as a Muthoni-wa (In-law) of the Kikuyu community.
He further said he had helped campaign for President Kibaki in the area ahead of the 2002 elections using the ‘Kibaki Tosha’ slogan but stopped short of asking the locals to reciprocate by voting for him in next year’s general elections.
While at Maragua town, Mr Odinga thanked the electorate for voting in the constitution adding that it had many benefits which would be realised fully after next year’s elections.
At the same time, he urged residents to shun alcoholism which he said was derailing development in the area and urged all to maintain peace even as the country prepares to go to the polls.
“Alcohol is adversely affecting development in Central and the youth are mostly affected, I want to urge you to shun drunkenness and embrace development. Alcohol is a good passenger but a bad driver,” he added.
He said structures will be put in place next year to help the country fight poverty, hunger, illiteracy and bad governance.
Mr Odinga was accompanied by his wife Ida, former AG Charles Njonjo, Kiambaa MP Stanley Githunguri, and Media owner Samuel Macharia.

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