This is how Raila will win without Mt Kenya - Murathe

Jubilee vice-chairman David Murathe has yet again thrown a spanner in the works, after he claimed that the Azimio La Umoja flag bearer Raila Odinga would become the 5th President of Kenya even if he does not get votes from the Mt Kenya region.

Mr Murathe, who was speaking during an interview at a local television station, said that during the previous polls in 2013 and 2017, Mr Odinga almost won the elections without getting any support from the Mt Kenya region.

In the remarks, which could spark a political storm in the country, Mr Murathe said Odinga already has strong political bases in various parts of the country that will hand him a comfortable win in the polls, with or without the Mt Kenya votes.

"In the previous General Elections, Mr Odinga has always got close to winning without the support of Mt Kenya. In the August 9 General election, he will beat his competitors hands down, with little or no support from Mt Kenya," he said.

He added: "This is the message to Mt Kenya... Raila is winning this election. So, Mt Kenya voters should  better decide whether he is winning with them onboard or without them on board. Odinga wins without them on board, they know they will be consigned to political dustbin and opposition.

He advised Mount Kenya voters, to  back Mr Odinga or else they will have themselves to blame after the August 9 elections.

The politician, an ally of President Uhuru Kenyatta also trained his gun on the  Amani National Congress party leader Musalia Mudavadi, saying his recent decision to join Deputy President William Ruto was inconsequential.

"Mr Mudavadi's presence in the Kenya Kwanza alliance has no impact.The Western Kenya vote is still intact. Musalia's own Governor and MCA are from ODM," said Murathe.

During the interview, the former MP dismissed Ruto's claims  that he has already managed to climb the Mountain and warned, that he will face a humiliating defeat by Mr Odinga.

He made the remarks hardly a a day after he claimed that the  running mate is not reserved for Mt Kenya.

Mr Murathe cited the entry of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka into the Azimio la Umoja coalition and his subsequent endorsement of Mr Odinga’s presidential bid for a third time as among developments that could alter the long-held view.

Mr Murathe said, if winning over Mr Musyoka meant to hand over the running mate slot to him, “so be it".

Mr Murathe said Mr Odinga had made inroads into Mt Kenya, partly helped by his endorsement by President Kenyatta.

Latest data from the  Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) show that Mt Kenya has 5.9 million voters as of February 2022.

The entire region registered 224,499 new voters in the recently concluded voter listing. Mt Kenya West accounts for 4.6 million voters, while Mt Kenya East has 1.3 million, making it a vote-rich region.

Mt Kenya’s 10 counties control nearly a third of the country’s total votes with Meru having 780,858 voters, Tharaka-Nithi (234,618), Embu (337,627), Nyeri (492,046) and Kirinyaga (378,580).

Others are Murang’a (628,416), Kiambu (1,293,309), Laikipia (265,842), Nyandarua (362,357) and Nakuru (1,050,367), totaling to 5,854,020 votes.

DP Ruto has made several political forays to the Mt Kenya region,keen to consolidate their support.

He is banking on the Mt Kenya vote, to get a head-start in the race between him  against Odinga.

Mr Odinga has also  been making in roads in the region, keen to whittle down DP's influence in the region.

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