Raila to host Sh100,000 dinner
Prime Minister Raila Odinga's dinner is part of events which will culminate in the launch of Mr Odinga’s presidential campaign programme, which will be rolled out in the next few weeks.
By BERNARD NAMUNANE bnamunane@ke.nationmedia.com AND ISAAC ONGIRI iongiri@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Wednesday, July 4 2012 at 23:30
Posted Wednesday, July 4 2012 at 23:30
Top politicians and businessmen have been invited to a Sh100,000 a plate dinner with Prime Minister Raila Odinga to raise funds for his presidential campaign.
The dinner, to be held on Friday at the Crowne Plaza in Nairobi’s Upper Hill area, has been organised by the PM’s presidential campaign secretariat and supporters of his State House race.
On Wednesday, the director of communications at the PM’s presidential campaign secretariat Barack Muluka confirmed the Sh100,000 a plate dinner stating that they were the organisers of the event.
However, he declined to give any details about the dinner and the amount of money they were targeting.
“Yes, the secretariat has organised the event, but we can discuss the details later if Kenyans want to know more about it,” he said.
The fund-raiser is reminiscent of President Kibaki’s Sh1 million a plate lunch, which was organised by his campaign team in November 2007.
The lunch aimed to raise Sh100 million, but it is not clear whether the fundraiser held at the Safari Park Hotel met its target.
Mr Odinga’s chief campaign manager James Ongwae sent out text messages to MPs and businessmen asking them to attend the event.
The Daily Nation established that similar fund-raisers would be held abroad from September to target diaspora donors willing to finance the PM’s campaign drive.
The dinner is part of events which will culminate in the launch of Mr Odinga’s presidential campaign programme, which will be rolled out in the next few weeks.
It also comes in the wake of the PM’s Sunday retreat at a hotel in Kajiado, which was attended by members of his presidential campaign secretariat, two representatives from the party’s MPs, and groups which are supporting his presidency.
Assistant minister Alfred Khangati confirmed that invitations had been sent out to potential donors who are expected to buy the cards at Sh100,000 each.
“I have received the card and a text message inviting me to the event, which is basically organised to help raise funds for the Raila 2012 campaign,” he said.
The secretary-general of the Friends of Raila (Fora) campaign lobby group Eliud Owallo said that the event has targeted volunteers interested in the success of the PM’s campaign, which is set to be launched in days.
“We will participate in the event though we are not the organisers,” Mr Owallo said. But an MP, who did not want to be named, said he will skip the event because the price was too expensive for him.
“I will not be able to attend because what they are asking for is un-affordable,” the MP said. Prof Larry Gumbe, a member of the PM’s ODM team also confirmed the dinner.
“I cannot tell how much they are targeting because I am not part of the group. I work for the party,” he said.
Mr Odinga’s campaign team has switched into high gear to prepare the PM for his third stab at the presidency and are set to roll out his nationwide programme.
The plan includes establishing a focal centre from which all groups campaigning for the PM will be coordinated. Next weekend, two conventions for the party’s youth and women supporters will be held in Nairobi.
“The two organs will be semi-autonomous and will work closely with the secretariat to campaign for the party,” a statement from Orange House said.
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