NASA's Raila Odinga. Photo/politics.co.ke
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election bid on Monday received more support, this time from the Bukusu council of elders.
The pledge comes hot on the heels of a similar endorsement from other communities across the country, including the Kamba who were at State House, Nairobi, today and assured President Kenyatta of their support.
At a meeting with President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto, the Bukusu council of elders vowed to mobilise voters to rally behind the President so that he could reclaim the August 8victory that was nullified by the Supreme Court.
The members, led by their chairman Mr Richard Walukano, said the Bukusu community has benefitted immensely from projects implemented by President Kenyatta and will stand with him to ensure he wins the repeat election on October 17.
They vowed to conduct a door-to-door campaign in Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega and Trans Nzoia counties to ensure President Kenyatta garners more votes from the region than he did on August 8.
“We are keen on ensuring that President Kenyatta wins with a bigger margin because we do not want the projects in our region to be derailed,” Mr Walukano said.
President Kenyatta welcomed the elders’ support and assured them of his commitment to unite the country and accelerate development for the benefit of all Kenyans.
“In western Kenya, we have constructed more roads than any other previous government. We have connected electricity to more households and revived factories, including Mumias Sugar Company, Nzoia Sugar Company and the Webuye Pan Paper Mills which is employing hundreds of youth from the region,” President Kenyatta said.
Deputy President Ruto said the Bukusu community are people who “mean what they say” and will vote for the President on October 17 as a way of reciprocating the benefits they have enjoyed under the Jubilee administration.
Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka thanked President Kenyatta for the position and commended the Head of State for appointing members of the community to other senior positions in government. He said this showed that Jubilee was “a true national party” that is the home of all Kenyans.
MPs Didmus Barasa (Kimilili, Jubilee) and Moses Mwambu Mabonga (Bumula, Independent) accompanied the elders. Though the Bumula MP ran as an independent candidate in the August 8polls, he has since rallied behind the Jubilee Party in support of President Kenyatta.