CS Munya intensifies Azimio campaigns in Meru

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya has implored residents of his Tigania East backyard to vote en masse for Azimio coalition candidates in a last-ditch effort to avert a loss to rival Kenya Kwanza Coalition.

Mr Munya, who led one of the last campaign rallies at his Muthara home on Wednesday, told residents that ‘voting for Raila Odinga is voting for Peter Munya’. Mr Munya is expected to hold the final Azimio meeting at Mikinduri on Saturday.

The Agriculture CS also drummed up support for former MP Mpuru Aburi, whose National Ordinary Peoples Empowerment Union Party is in the Azimio coalition.

“Politics is about interests and we must support a leader who will protect our interests. We don’t vote for a leader because of their looks or how they speak. The Azimio coalition is best placed to handle our interests in Meru,” Mr Munya said.

He defended Mr Odinga’s bid, saying he had stood out in the past as a defender of Kenyans’ interests.

“He is a patriot who we believe will take this country forward when he takes over from President Uhuru Kenyatta. His policies are also good for this country,” he said.

Mr Munya said the Azimio presidential candidate had expressed confidence in him by appointing him a minister for Agriculture even before the election.

“Mr Odinga and his running mate Martha Karua have a clean record. They cannot be compared with our opponents, who have been adversely mentioned in many scandals,” he said. 

“Azimio has a plan to fix corruption loopholes and channel the money to free education and social welfare.”

Mr Munya called on Meru residents to turn out in large numbers and vote for the Azimio coalition.

The CS attributed his 2017 loss in the governor’s contest to his political differences with the Deputy President William Ruto, now the Kenya Kwanza presidential candidate.

He said voters should also reward him by electing an MP aligned to the Azimio coalition in Tigania East.

Tigania East has attracted 11 parliamentary candidates, including the incumbent Josphat Kabeabea, who is vying under DP Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

While Azimio has two candidates – Mr Aburi and Mr Wycliffe Muthomi (Jubilee) – Mr Munya said the former had a higher chance of winning the contest.

“I helped the current Tigania East MP win against Mr Aburi in 2017, but he immediately ganged up with my tormentors,” Mr Munya said. 

“Mr Aburi apologised to me and we are now in one team. Let us all vote for Mr Aburi because we do not want to lose to UDA in Tigania East. We should not divide the vote.”

Though Azimio enjoys the support of both Mr Munya and Governor Kiraitu Murungi, Kenya Kwanza has made inroads in Meru with strong candidates across the nine constituencies.

Azimio’s fortunes in Meru have also been hurt by political rivalry between Mr Munya and Governor Murungi, whom Mr Odinga has repeatedly tried to unite, without success.

Mr Odinga’s bid recently received the backing of the Njuri Ncheke council of elders, who installed him as a Meru elder.