Governors Kibwana and Mutua Shelve Presidential Ambitions to Back Raila

Over 5,000 Ukambani leaders and professionals have resolved to support ODM leader Raila Odinga’s presidential bid in the forthcoming elections. 

Led by Governors Charity Ngilu (Kitui), Alfred Mutua (Machakos), and Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni), the leaders pledged to ensure the region votes for Odinga to the last man on August 9th.

“We are happy to announce that we now have a clear road map informed by reality on the ground and scientific interventions,” said the Governors.

The leaders say they identified Odinga’s ‘Azimio La Umoja’ movement as the most reliable vehicle to bring people together for shared prosperity.

“Their manifesto is geared towards this aspiration and we as the Kamba Nation Professionals and leaders identify with it,” they said.

“For this reason, we have come together as professionals and leaders to urge all our political leaders to come together, take a common political position.”

The leaders further promised to engage Odinga and the national Azimio leadership to have their development blueprint included in the campaign manifesto and subsequent government plans and budgets to assure implementation.

The leaders have lined up a series of activities in Makueni, Machakos, and Kitui starting this week to drum up support for Odinga and the ‘Azimio la Umoja.’

“During the last 10 years, the Kamba nation has not been adequately represented in the national government. As a result, we have missed out of critical development projects from the national government. This has slowed down efforts to fight poverty,” they noted.

During the meeting, governors Mutua and Kibwana announced they have shelved their presidential ambitions to back Odinga, who is giving his fifth stab at the presidency.