A campaign billboard poster in Bomet town for Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his running mate Martha Karua has been re-erected a month after it was torn apart by unknown people.
This comes a few days before Mr Odinga planned but unconfirmed tour of Bomet County starts. He is expected to attend a church service at Ndanai in Sotik constituency and later hold a public rally.
Mr Odinga has not visited Bomet since the 2017 General Election when he toured the region for campaign rallies.
The original sign was found in tatters on the morning of June 3, two days after it was put up.
It was not clear whether the vandalism was the work of political goons or the sign was torn apart by fierce winds. No arrests were made in connection with the incident.
A month later, the huge sign was re-erected at the same spot in the town, but had not been touched three days later.
It was also curious that signs for the other politicians, including Deputy President William Ruto, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential candidate, and Governor Hillary Barchok, who is defending his seat under UDA, and his rival Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) party leader Isaac Ruto, were still intact.
The other presidential candidates – Agano party leader David Mwaure Wahiga and Prof George Wajackoyah of Roots Party – have not erected their campaign posters in Bomet.
Mr Joseph Ngeno, the Azimio team’s Bomet County coordinator, Ms Lilah Siele, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party Bomet Central parliamentary candidate, and Mr Michael Ngeno, ODM’s Chepalungu parliamentary flag-bearer separately expressed hope that the billboard would be protected.
Azimio coalition Presidential contender Raila Odinga and his running mate Ms Martha Karua campaign billboard torn in Bomet town a day after it was installed along the Bomet-Kaplong highway as seen in this photo taken on June, 3, 2022.
Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group
“We are hoping that the billboard will remain intact in the next one month before the August 9 poll is conducted,” said Mr Ngeno.
Ms Siele said Bomet residents need to have political tolerance and embrace the tenets of multiparty democracy.
“It is encouraging that in this year’s General Election, there is a galaxy of parties sponsoring candidates for all elective seats right from the ward, parliamentary and gubernatorial level in Bomet County. It is a clear sign of democracy taking root in our community,” said Ms Siele.
Ms Siele, who formerly worked at the Kenyan Embassy in Canada, said that previously, candidates who did not belong to the most popular political party in the region were harassed but there was a marked difference in this years’ elections.
UDA is regarded as the most dominant in the South Rift region, but Kenya Kwanza affiliate parties Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) and Amani National Congress (ANC) have fielded several candidates.
Several candidates running as independents are also giving UDA candidates a run for their money, especially after claims that its primaries were bungled in the region.
