Think beyond Raila, support my 2032 bid, Ugenya MP tells Nyanza
Ugenya MP David Ochieng on Sunday declared his presidential ambition for 2032.
He argued that President William Ruto will easily win in 2027, finish his second term, and leave space for others like him to wrestle it out.
Nyanza region, he urged, should think beyond the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party boss Raila Odinga who has lost in all the past five attempts to secure the seat.
“We (Nyanza people and Raila) have always claimed that we are being rigged out of the presidency. Right now a bird is already whispering to me that he (Raila) will vie again,” he said.
“I won’t be there with you this time around and my vote will be for Ruto, however, bad the country will be because we now have to move forward.”
The Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) party leader said that Nyanza has fronted a single person (Raila) for nearly 40 years and that it’s time the space be left for a younger person.
“When will other children of Nyanza become president? I want to take after Ruto; power must come to Masiro (Ochieng’s rural home) before it can go elsewhere,” he said.
The lawmaker was speaking during a fundraiser at Yogo Catholic Church in his constituency.
He observed that Mt Kenya and Rift Valley regions are already lifting younger politicians for greater national responsibility like the presidency.
The younger politicians being lifted, Ochieng said, are MPs Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu), Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Governor Irungu Kang’ata (Murang’a), Senator Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho), Wilson Koech (Belgut) and Kipchumba Murkomen (Transport, Cabinet Secretary).
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In contrast, Ochieng alleged that voters in Siaya County, for example, are being indoctrinated into electing aging politicians.
“For you, who are you lifting? You are being told to elect a 73-year-old Woman Representative, 78-year-old governor and president… How can that be your future?” Ochieng paused.
The MP criticized Raila and the entire Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Alliance for allegedly taking their supporters for granted.
He said that it’s wrong that the opposition led street protests that saw lives lost only for the principals to sit in a boardroom and agree on issues that benefit themselves alone.
“The bipartisan report is out and they are endorsing it saying that they will evaluate the election of 2022. How can you sanitize (future) elections if you don’t clear the mess?” he asked.
“How come people are killed in protests then you get into a boardroom then come out to tell us that things are now okay?”
Moving forward, Ochieng said that from February 2024, he will traverse various parts of Nyanza and the country at large to market his political party and his suitability as a presidential candidate.
“I am going to go to every ward in Nyanza to sell MDG. Let everyone build his party without interference by others,” he said.
Think beyond Raila, support my 2032 bid, Ugenya MP tells Nyanza