Sunday, August 14, 2011
Business in the populous constituency came to a virtual halt as traders in Eastleigh, Jua Kali sheds, Barma and Majengo markets closed shops to listen to the roadside addresses when the convoy of the team snaked in.
The premier who was accompanied by several Members of parliament including the cabinet Ministers said the results of the by election slated for the 18th would project the party's strength ahead of the 2011 general elections.
"These polls will be a precursor of what to expect during the 2012 general election but we are confident that ODM is the only party with a national outlook." he said.
The Premier urged residents to vote wisely come election day if they expected a meaningful change in Kamukunji irrespective of the short period the new MP will serve.
Odinga at the same time cautioned the Somali Community in Kamkunji constituency to shun leaders who perpetuate clan based politics during campaigns for the coming by election in the area.
He asked residents to ignore such tribal rhetoric and vote for the candidate whose party had a national outlook and stood for the unity of all Kenyans irrespective of their ethnic background.
The Premier expressed fears that some political parties in the country lacked clear policy and vision for the country but were fielding candidates on the basis of the numerical strength of the community from which their flag bearer came from.
Odinga criticized the emerging political alliances among leaders from different parties saying they were mooted out of the desire to take power rather than institute policy framework that could bail the country out of her economic woes.
"They just form alliances to fight Raila but they have neither identified a party not settled on a candidate they believe could make their wishes come true" he said.
The Premier also assured the residents that the government had factored the rehabilitation of the roads, sewerage and water system in Eastleigh in the current budget and promised the works will commence soon.
He said the move to expand infrastructure system in the colonial estate was necessary after the population growth in the suburb outstretched the available amenities.
"This estate was meant to host a projected population of 90,000 people but it now host more than 400,000 residents" Odinga said.
Notable speakers in the campaign trail included cabinet Minister Fred Gumo, Paul otuoma, Mohamed Elmi and assistant Ministers Elizabeth Ongoro,Mohamed Mohamud, and Margret Wanjiru.
This came a day after Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka led a team of MPs allied to PNU in a campaign trail for the party's flag bearer Yussuf Hassan.
But as Raila was in a high flying campaign, formwe Kibwezi MP Kalembe Ndile embarked on a house to house vote hunting mission also trying to sell his Tip Tip party's candidate, saying this was a battle of David and Goliath.
Other candidates in the race for the seat include Narc-Kenya's Brian Weke, GNU's Muthoni Kihara and David Waihiga of Agano.