Raila dismisses Ruto forays in Coast, says region behind him
Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga addressing a public rally at Samburu Grounds in Kinango, Kwale County on July 13, 2022.
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party presidential candidate Raila Odinga has dismissed as inconsequential the forays made in Coast by his main challenger, Deputy President William Ruto, saying, the region has always stood with him and cannot be swayed.
Speaking during campaign stops in Kinango, Matuga, Lunga Lunga, Ukunda and Msambweni yesterday, Mr Odinga said Coast voters have always backed his bid for the presidency in previous elections and he does not see the pattern changing.
He, however, expressed concern over opinion poll results showing many voters in the region were undecided on who to vote for.
“In 2007, 2013 and 2017, you overwhelmingly voted for me. But I am not happy with the polls that show many are still undecided. Let us prove to those chest thumping that this is their stronghold that it is still my political base by coming out and voting for me,” he said in Ukunda.
Opinion polls
The latest opinion polls by Tifa and Infotrak show that over 15 per cent of voters in Coast are undecided. In February, Dr Ruto picked Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya, who won the 2013 election on Mr Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party ticket before joining Jubilee Party in the 2017 polls, as one of the principals in DP Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
The move opened the battle with Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho on who will deliver the vote-rich region to their respective political outfits. Kwale County has the third-highest population in Coast region and the third highest number of registered voters at 320, 782.
ODM lost in the 2020 Msambweni by-election in which its candidate, Mr Omar Boga, lost to independent candidate Feisal Bader, whom DP Ruto supported.
But Wednesday, Mr Odinga exuded confidence that the ODM team led by its governor candidate, Prof Hamadi Boga, will trounce the Ruto-led United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Mineral wealth, agricultural potential
A combination of mineral wealth and vast agricultural potential, Mr Odinga said, makes Kwale one of the country’s richest regions.
The county’s mineral, tourism and fishing sectors are expected to drive its economy but it first must get good and effective leaders, Mr Odinga said, adding that President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government has initiated some projects to spur growth.
As part of efforts to eradicate poverty, the Azimio candidate emphasised commercial fishing, saying, the county already has an array of ports, key among them Vanga, Shimoni and Diani. His running mate, Ms Martha Karua, said the Azimio team had the best interests of voters at heart.
She said Dr Ruto was unfit to lead because of his “anger issues” and urged residents to be wary of deceitful leaders using sweet words to lure voters.
