I’ll beat Ruto, says Raila

The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition presidential aspirant Raila Odinga on Monday took his campaign to Kirinyaga County, exuding confidence that he will defeat his Kenya Kwanza Alliance rival, Deputy President William Ruto, in the August 9 presidential election.

Speaking to Azimio candidates at Kutus Sifa Gardens, Mr Odinga revealed that his team had good campaign strategies to defeat the DP.

"It is a war that requires sophisticated political weapons. We must be well equipped to triumph," said Mr Odinga.

Accompanied by one of his coalition partners, Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua, the former Prime Minister warned that Kenyans will suffer should the Kenya Kwanza Alliance take over the country's leadership.

"If our rivals are allowed to get into power, Kenyans will continue living in poverty. We must team up and vote for Azimio coalition," he said.

"We shall have campaign committees from the county, constituency and the ward. The county committee will always be in close contact with the Azimio One Kenya Coalition Campaign Centre in Nairobi," Mr Odinga said.

He said if his 10-point agenda is well implemented, Kenya's lost glory will be restored.

Ms Karua drummed up support for Mr Odinga saying he was competent enough to root out corruption.

She asked Kenyans to vote for Mr Odinga if they wanted their resources to be protected.

"Kenyans should vote for a leadership of integrity," she said, describing Mr Odinga as a selfless leader who sacrificed for the betterment of the country.

"Mr Odinga shook hands with the late President Mwai Kibaki and President Uhuru Kenyatta for the sake of peace. He also fought for multi-partyism. He is incorruptible and he can take the country forward," she said.

She warned that Kenyans would regret should they vote in bad leaders.

"If you entrust your resources to hyenas, you will cry," she warned.

Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi said Mount Kenya people owe Mr Odinga a debt, which he said should be paid in August.

"Mr Odinga campaigned for Mr Kibaki and he won. We should also reciprocate by electing Odinga as the fifth President," said Mr Murithi, who is the Azimio campaign board chairman.

The coalition’s executive director, Mr Raphael Tuju, said some of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance leaders plundered the economy, adding that they had no business leading.

Earlier, Kirinyaga leaders pleaded with Mr Odinga to pick Ms Karua as his running mate.

Led by Jubilee chairman Mureithi Kang'ara and Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho, the leaders said Ms Karua was qualified to deputise Mr Odinga.

The leaders said they would be happy should Mr Odinga yield to their request.

In response, Mr Odinga said he had heard what the leaders had requested and promised to give them an answer later.