ODM leaders in Raila Odinga’s backyard have asked billionaire Jimmy Wanjigi to be sober ahead of his Nyanza tour seeking to popularise his candidature for the party’s presidential ticket.
Led by Nyanza ODM Coordinating Committee secretary, Philip Makabongo, the ODM grass-root leaders in Nyanza wondered why the presidential hopeful Jimmy Wanjigi was taking his campaign to Raila’s backyard saying that their endorsement of former Lang’ata MP Raila Odinga as the ODM flag bearer last month stands.
“We have endorsed our party leader for the presidency and we are just asking Wanjigi to be sober in his utterances to avoid inciting others or create tension among supporters,” said Makabongo.
The leaders further asked Wanjigi to come clean about what he has done for the Nyanza region that makes him convinced that they will dump the former Prime Minister for him.
Yesterday, Wanjigi said he will tour the Nyanza region starting Thursday, September 16, to sell his manifesto to the region ahead of the party primaries where he is expected to battle it out with his party leader Raila Odinga.
His four-day visit has however elicited sharp reactions from grass-root leaders who said they are not aware of his visit.
“I am not aware of the visit. I am just getting it from the media and that is why I am wondering how he will be getting those delegates here because I am the county coordinator,” Kisumu ODM Coordinating Committee chairman Ayiecho Olweny told the Daily Nation.
But Wanjigi said it is not mandatory for him to notify the grass root leaders of his visit to the region adding that the party itself is democratic hence it should abide to the same as enshrined in its Constitution.
Since announcing his bid to vie for the presidency on an ODM ticket, Jimmy Wanjigi- a longtime political financier- has been causing waves in ODM, including setting up regional party offices without the party’s consent.
