ODM leader Raila Odinga and his Wiper counterpart Kalonzo Musyoka apppear to have taken their political battle to vote-rich Mt Kenya region.
In what appears to be rallying his support in the central region, former vice president Kalonzo Musyoka on Friday, June 18, toured Murang’a County where he insisted that his name will be on the ballot box for the presidency.
On Monday, June 21, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was in Kiambu County where it is believed he sought support from Kikuyu business community in his bid to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta who retires in August 2022.
Mt Kenya region is viewed by analysts as an important voting block whose support any serious presidential hopeful must get to win.
Kalonzo has been Raila’s presidential running mate in the past two successive general elctions where they emerged second in both occasions.
However, they have in the recent past engaged in a war of words with Kalonzo accusing Raila of betrayal with Raila asking his counterpart in Wiper to calm down.
The genesis of their dispute arose when Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka stated that he stood with Raila in the 2013 and 2017 elections and that there was a need for Raila to return the favor by supporting him in his 2022 presidential bid.
“I am not a weakling… Raila and I have never sat to discuss 2022. I will be the most stupid person on earth to support Raila Odinga for president for the third time without a measure of reciprocity,” Kalonzo Musyoka said in an exclusive interview with NTV.
Odinga who is currently working on a pre-election agreement with ruling outfit Jubilee, during his tour at the Coast on Thursday, June 17, responded to Kalonzo’s declaration that he would not support him in the 2022 General Election.
“I have not announced whether or not I will be contesting for the presidency yet some people are already saying they will not support me. I have not announced my candidature and some people are shaking, stop barking around,” Raila said.