[Photo/ Courtesy of RO]
Kenyans online have criticized Raila Odinga’s move to seek money from ordinary people to finance his campaign ahead of the October 17 presidential contest. During a press conference, Mr Odinga asked his supporters to contribute to his campaign through an Mpesa pay bill number, as a way of ‘buying a ticket to Canaan’. “People can contribute whatever they can afford even if it is Sh10, Sh100, Sh1 million and much more. This will help us in the campaigns,” Odinga said. "When you make that contribution you will be buying your ticket to Canaan...The journey is unstoppable...buy your ticket because we are confident we shall reach Canaan,” the ODM leader said, as quoted by The Star. The NASA leaders provided an Mpesa payroll number — 991444 — and a Co-Operative Bank account number for supporters to make the payments. Some Kenyans questioned the fate of money raised from the people to the coalition in the past, including Okoa Kenya, teachers’ strike and Adopt a Polling Station. Recently, reports surfaced that money contributed by Kenyans living in the diaspora for Mr Odinga’s campaigns disappeared, further fueling fears that money given to the ODM leader does not end up being used for the intended purpose.
Here is what some Kenyans said: