Raila Will Win the Presidency with 64% of the Votes, Jubilee Vice Chair David Murathe Says

Jubilee Party Vice-Chairman David Murathe says ODM leader Raila Odinga does not need votes from the Mt Kenya region to win the August 9th presidential election.

Murathe, who spoke on Citizen TV’s News Night show, stated that the endorsement by President Kenyatta is a major boost to Odinga’s presidential quest, saying he will win the election with 64 percent of the votes.

He argued that Odinga, 77, came close to clinching the presidency in the 2013 and 2017 elections without support from Mt Kenya, hence getting a small percentage of votes from the region will sail him to State House.

“As far as we are concerned, Raila Odinga was at almost 50/50 with Uhuru Kenyatta... [yet] Raila never got Mt. Kenya votes meaning this time around, in the worst-case scenario, if Raila gets Mt. Kenya votes those are votes he never had but the rest of his vote basket is intact,” said Murathe.

"In this election, I can assure you of how Raila will get 64 percent. Mt Kenya will give Raila more votes than what he will get in his native Nyanza."

Murathe also termed ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi’s decision to join forces with Deputy President William Ruto as inconsequential, saying the Western Kenya region remains a Raila stronghold.

"The only area which they thought they could remove is Western but Raila actually defeats Musalia Mudavadi in Western. Musalia's own Governor and MCA are from ODM," added Murathe.

The Jubilee party official urged the people of Mt Kenya to rally behind Odinga or else they will be "consigned to the dustbin" after the forthcoming elections.

“This is the message to Mt Kenya... Raila is winning this election. They better decide whether he is winning with them onboard or without them on board. If Raila wins without them on board, they know they will be consigned to the dustbin,” Murathe said.

He added: “We are telling the people of Mt Kenya... With or without your vote, under the current circumstances, Raila is going to be president because you can be sure Raila is going to get some votes in Mt. Kenya this time round.” 

At the same time, Murathe dismissed Ruto’s perceived strong support in Mt Kenya as "optics" aimed at confusing voters.

"They are trying to create a wave not necessarily for Mt. Kenya but for the rest of the country to confuse people, particularly their own backyards of the Rift Valley, that 'look Mt. Kenya is with us, so you either join us or be out of government'. These are clever optics... It is a voter turnout strategy which is very smart for Ruto," said Murathe.