Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party presidential flag bearer Raila Odinga has gained popularity in three Mt Kenya counties days after naming Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua as his running mate.
Even though both the leading presidential candidates named their running mates from the popular Mt Kenya region, Martha Karua’s nomination has had an immediate impact on the 2022 presidential race compared to the nomination of Rigathi Gachagua as DP Ruto’s running mate.
According to polls by Mizani Africa, in the days under review, the Kenya Kwanza alliance flag bearer William Ruto’s popularity has dropped in Nyeri, Kirinyaga, and Tharaka Nithi counties.
In Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya Kwanza presidential flag bearer’s popularity has dropped by 3.3 % while Raila Odinga’s popularity has improved by 0.4%.
Then poor performance by DP Ruto could be attributed to the failure to pick Senator Kithure Kindiki as his running mate.
In Nyeri County, where Kenya Kwanza presidential running mate Rigathi Gachagua hails from, the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party presidential flag bearer has gained by 6.2%.
“In Nyeri County, Karua’s appointment as running mate seemed to have pleased more respondents than Gachagua’s nomination since Raila gains more popularity by 6.2% as Ruto drops by 3.6%.” Mizani Africa said in their findings.
According to the survey, Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party flag bearer has gained 10.2 % popularity in Kirinyaga county while his main competitor has dropped 4.2 %.
Even though Raila Odinga’s 2022 running mate can not do not have great mobilization skills to match those of Rigathi Gachagua, she has promised to camp in Mt Kenya to ensure Raila overtakes Ruto in the vote-rich region.
Since her nomination, she has held more than 30 public rallies across 5 counties to popularize Raila Odinga’s 2022 presidential bid.
“Mt Kenya region should rest easy because Peter Munya and myself will defend its interests. Odinga has also entrusted Munya with the agriculture and productive sector which is the mainstay of this region which shows Odinga has our interests at heart,” Karua said during the tour of Meru County.
