The ODM leader Raila Odinga has called on residents of Nyanza region to strictly vote for candidates running on the ODM party ticket in the coming General Election.
Speaking in Homa Bay on Monday April 18, during the burial of former Kenya’s ambassador to Qatar Paddy Ahenda, Raila said he doesn’t want be a lame duck president should he win the August presidential elections.
The ODM leader asked voters in the six counties in the Nyanza region to vote ODM candidates from MCA to the presidential seat to strengthen the party in their Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance Coalition.
“I want people in this region to only vote six-piece for the party to remain strong. Let MCA, MP, Woman Rep, Senator, Governor and President come from ODM,” Raila said.
The plea by the former prime minister come in the back drop of complaints from aspirants over the move by the party to issue direct tickets to some aspirants.
But the ODM leader defended the party’s decision saying direct tickets were handed to popular aspirants after consensus and to avoid chaos during primaries.
“Even if the election is repeated several times, it’s only one person who will be declared the winner. I want our people to get united and focus on one agenda of making everyone turn up and vote on election day,” he added.
Already some aspirants have defected from the party deciding to run as independent candidates while other had already joined the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition affiliated parties
The call by the ODM leader is meant to ring fence his backyard against friendly fire from other Azimio parties that are making inroads in his ‘bedroom’.
Among the parties fielding candidates in Nyanza region include Jubilee party, Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) and Movement of Democratic among others.
