Cabinet Secretaries, Governors, MPs, and other high-ranking leaders will lead 16 teams that will handle Mr. Raila Odinga’s presidential campaigns.
At the National level, Raila Odinga and his runningmate Martha Karua will spearhead the campaigns with a team of 11 political heavyweights drawn from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Jubilee Parties.
With 76 days to the August 9 General Election, the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party is keen on popularizing their candidature in the grassroots. The clusters covering all the regions have been tasked with ensuring Raila Odinga gets maximum votes in their regions.
The national campaign team consists of Babu Owino 9Embakasi East MP), Junet Mohamed (Suna East MP), Peter Kenneth, Carol Karugu (Nyeri Deputy Governor), Philip Pande and Likoni MP Mishi Mboko
Other heavyweights who made it to the national team include Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja MP), Richard Onyonka (Kitutu Chache MP), Caleb Amisi (Saboti MP), Maina Kamanda and Kieni MP Kanini Kega.
Team Mt Kenya
In Mt. Kenya region, Kiraitu Murungi, Maoka Maore and Lenny Kivuti are conspicuously absent from the Azimio campaign team.
CS Peter Munya, Rodgers Kipembe Mpuru (NOPEU Secretary General), Ngunjiri Wambugu (Nyeri Town MP), Sabina Chege (Murang’a Woman Representative) and Lee Kinyanjui (Nakuru Governor) have been tasked to deliver the Mount Kenya votes to the Azimio basket.
Other heavyweights in the Mt Kenya team include Jamleck Kamau, Ephraim Maina, Priscillah Nyokabi, Governor Francis Kimemia and Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni.
The exclusion of Kiraitu Murungi and his allies from the campaign team is expected to escalate the unending supremacy battles with Agriculture CS Peter Munya in the Mt Kenya East region.
Moments after the Azimio la Umoja runningmate Martha Karua departed from Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties last week, several leaders allied to Kiraitu Murungi and Maoka Maore raised concerns their exclusion from the visit.
Governor Kiraitu Murungi, Igembe North MP Maoka Maore and several other vocal leaders were conspicuously absent from the rallies.
The leaders said Agriculture CS Peter Munya and EALA MP Mpuru Aburi cannot deliver the Meru vote to Raila Odinga, having edged out all the other local leaders from the Coalition campaign activities.
“Munya should focus on his job and leave politics to politicians. If he thinks he will deliver the Meru vote by excluding every other Azimio leader, he is greatly mistaken.” says Jubilee Senatorial Aspirant James Mithika.
“We are not happy with his style of doing things. He decided not to involve the top Azimio leadership in Meru in organizing the meetings. Not even the Secretary General Maoka Maore or the County Governor were informed.” he adds.
According to the Mbus Party Executive Director Haron Abuana, Munya’s move has caused disunity within the Azimio Coalition in Mt. Kenya.
“We are saddened by Munya’s recent moves aimed at killing the Coalition from within. The Governor and other Azimio leaders and aspirants in Meru must be respected and involved in all campaign activities in the region.” he says.
Governor Kiraitu also accused CS Munya of secretly funding and supporting Kawira Mwangaza, his close rival in the Meru gubernatorial contest.
The author is a Social Media Strategist, a Digital Media Expert with interest in Governance and Social Welfare.
