I LOVE ODM --- KENYANS ARE VOTING FOR CHANGE

From: Robert Alai

Raila team storms North Rift

By Biketi Kikechi and Stephen Makabila

Three ODM Pentagon members have accused President Kibaki of presiding over a disorderly State House and cheapening it.

The party presidential candidate, Raila Odinga, also criticised proponents of Party of National Unity, accusing them of visiting trouble on Kenyans.

Raila reaffirmed his commitment to change and charged that those propagating the kazi iendelee (work continues) motto want insecurity, dishonesty, corruption, tribalism, unemployment and poverty to continue to ravage Kenyans.

"President Kibaki's agenda is to continue giving Kenyans unfulfilled promises. The manifesto he is launching will offer nothing new," said Raila.

Mrs Charity Ngilu, speaking at a mammoth rally in Eldoret, recounted her ordeal in Government, which she said included being slapped one time in State House.

Ngilu said she was slapped in State House while on an "official and serious" visit. She added that State House under the Kibaki Presidency was confused and one cannot know who is in charge.

"The State House under Kibaki has been full of problems and at times you don't know who makes decisions," said Ngilu at the ODM rally on Sunday.

"You go for a serious meeting and you are slapped. This is how serious it was, and that is not acceptable," the former Health minister said. She named the person who slapped her.

Delving into what she termed as cheapening of the Presidency, Ngilu said despite serving as a Cabinet Minister, she never received the kind of security being given to a local woman activist, "who continues roaming the country campaigning for the President".

"I was a minister but did not receive security like that of 'Narc-Kenya activist' who has no public position," said Ngilu.

President Kibaki sacked Ngilu last month after she attended an ODM rally at Uhuru Park, Nairobi, in a Government vehicle. She then declared support for Raila Odinga's presidential bid.

Yesterday, unruffled by the latest Steadman poll that showed President Kibaki was closing the gap between him and Raila, ODM staged a spectacular show with a rallying call that it was poised to win with a landslide.

Party leaders at the rally collectively described Raila as an agent of change and a performer.

"Steadman should have been more honest because their sampling was based on voter register and not population as has previously been the case," an upbeat Raila told a frenzied crowd at the '64 Stadium.

Running mate, Mr Musalia Mudavadi, Pentagon members, Mr William Ruto and Mrs Chairty Ngilu joined Raila in the show of might.

All ODM aspirants from the region who attended the rally were paraded and asked to swear that they would not defect to other parties should they lose parliamentary nomination.

"Stick with ODM. Don't jump into disorganised parties like PNU and Ford-Kenya," Raila told the aspirants.

Mudavadi described the General Election as Raila's chance to lead the country to a better future for all.

"They are only playing with figures to assist Kibaki, but we know we are going to win with a convincing majority. ODM youths should be alert to block any rigging in polling stations," said Mudavadi.

He added that ODM want a landslide win, which no one can challenge.

He said they were not supporting Raila for tribal reasons.

"How come when Ruto and myself supported a Kikuyu for the Presidency in 2002, we were branded nationalists and now that we are supporting Raila, we are being branded tribalists?" posed Mudavadi.

Ngilu described President Kibaki as a politician who had demonstrated that he could not be trusted.

"We campaigned for Kibaki in 2002 when he was sick. We entered a Memorandum of Understanding, which he dishonoured. He sacked Raila, Mr Najib Balala and recently myself. I did not doubt for once that he is a hypocrite that cannot be trusted again," said Ngilu.

"Kibaki destroyed the ladder that took him to power not knowing that one day he would need it while coming down and we are going to watch as he succumbs to defeat at the ballot," she added.

Ruto said Rift Valley voters had decided to support Raila.

"In the past we voted for Moi because he was our own. In 2002 we voted for Uhuru Kenyatta because Moi asked us to support him. But this time, we have decided to vote for Raila," said Ruto.

Ruto said Kibaki should not challenge Raila to state what he did for three years as a minister yet he cannot account for what he has done for the 35 years he has been in government.

"If Kibaki has not performed miracles for 35 years, 20 of which he was Minister, 11 as Vice-President and the rest as President, which miracles can he perform in the five years he is asking for?" posed Ruto.

The former Eldoret North MP said he was ready to face the Government over his corruption case pending in Court.

"It should be the Government answering me why the case has remained in court for four years if they have evidence against me and not Raila telling them how he would deal with the case. "

Ruto said an ODM government was not going to misuse the courts the way the current government has been doing.

"Arap Mibei is back again, Raila said.

"We will work together and claim victory in the next five weeks," he told the cheering crowd. Mibei is the name the Kalenjin has given Raila.

"They will face the reality on December 27, but that will be too late," said Raila.

Raila drummed up support for devolution of powers, saying it was the only guarantee to end inequality and poverty.

"There is a difference between delegation, which the current government is doing through the Constituency Development Fund and devolution of power and resources, which will be enshrined in the Constitution," said Raila.


ODM convoy in Eldoret town before a rally at Stadium 64 on Sunday.

Picture by Peter Ochieng

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