It is Raila's last chance - ODM lobby

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012 - 00:00 -- BY MOSOKU GEOFFREY

ODM NEC. Raila Odinga with other ODM Party members for the NEC meeting and Bomas of Kenya. Photo/ David Ndolo

ODM yesterday asked Kenyans to elect Prime Minister Raila Odinga as this is his last shot at the presidency. Chairman Henry Kosgey and Nairobi mayor George Aladwa said Raila deserves the presidency for the sacrifices he made to fight for democracy and reforms in the country.

“I am urging ODM supporters to register as voters in large numbers so as to elect Raila as president. This is the last chance he has to vie for the presidency, if he doesn’t win, only God knows. It’s a do or die for our party leader,” Kosgey said.

He said the Orange party will put up a vigorous campaign to "take Raila to State House". The ODM chairman was speaking yesterday when he officially launched the ODM Mashinani campaigns for Nairobi county in Lavington.

The campaigns were launched simultaneously across the 47 counties. Kosgey dismissed Raila’s rivals saying they cannot be trusted to implement the new constitution since some of them were watermelons.

“It’s only Raila who will bring meaningful reforms. He has a record. Were it not for him, even Justice Mutunga would not have been the country’s CJ. The judiciary is reformed,” he added.

Aladwa welcomed the entry of Starehe MP Margret Wanjiru into the Nairobi governor race but told her not to expect direct nomination.

“I am welcoming her entry into the race but at the same time telling her to be ready to face others in a free and fair contest, she should not expect to get a direct nomination,” the mayor said.

Aladwa said the ODM Mashinani will mobilise supporters in the city to enlist as members so that ODM becomes party with majority of voters.

He said the party targets more than half a million members in Nairobi adding that party officials have been tasked to take the campaigns even into churches and mosques.

“We will make the city truly orange. This is our year, last time we missed the presidency narrowly but this time, we will reclaim what was ours,” Aladwa said.

Kosgey assured Nairobi aspirants that the party secretariat will not interfere with the nominations which will be fair and free.