By Andrew Irumba
Nairobi: Kenya’s presidential candidate Raila Odinga has appointed Ugandan lawyer, Human-Rights activist & elected member of the 3rd East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Hon.Fred Mukasa Mbidde as his Ugandan envoy to lead the Ugandan business community, politicians and well wishers in resource mobilization for his candidature. Unlike Uganda, in Kenya and other parts of African countries, as well as Europe and America, it’s the people who fund the candidates than vise-versa.
This has been revealed in an appointment letter seen by TheSpy Uganda in which Raila requests Mbidde to organize and mobilize the business community into a substantial campaign financing machinery to Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K), a joint coalition that brought Odinga as their preferred candidate.
”Mobilize Kenyans and the East Africans as a whole to focus on and contribute to DAP-K candidates’ campaigns as it seeks to be the party of choice for all Kenyans,” Raila asks Mbidde in the appointment letter signed by Beatrice Mbingi, National Party Treasurer.
Mbidde will also, on behalf of Raila receive DAP-K envoys and/or campaign delegations/party officers to Uganda from time to time for the several campaign missions. ”Kindly advise on a date most convenient to you when you can receive Hon. Eugene Wamalwa (patron of DAP-K) and party officials to be hosted in Uganda in support of the relevant activities,” adds the letter.
Further, Mbidde is tasked to hold meetings and make guided and consultative commitments on behalf of the party.
”It is required of you to organize with the members of the business community and professional bodies in both Kenya and Uganda to support DAP-K party activities,” concludes the letter.
To Mbiddde, an EALA member to be recognized by Odinga that he has the capacity to mobilize East Africans to support his candidature is exceedingly a plus to his [Odinga] political career locally and regionally, given his [Mbidde] known connections in Rwanda, Tanzania where he has been for two terms as Uganda’s representative, Burundi, DRC and now Kenya.
Torch Into Kenya Election
In this hotly contested election, Odinga is backed by Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition which has since fronted him as a presidential candidate, tussling Deputy President William Ruto.
Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition is the most popular political alliance currently with a support base of 38 percent countrywide, according to the latest TIFA polls.
Also, we can’t talk about the Kenya elections without informing you that President Uhuru Kenyatta has since declared his support for opposition member Odinga, don’t tell him Ruto who is his Deputy President, things fell apart.
Meanwhile, in a bid to sell his candidature, yesterday Odinga paid a courtesy call on Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni at State House Entebbe-Kampala, where the two ‘discussed a wide range of issues concerning the two countries,’ according to Museveni.
According to impeccable sources, Museveni had declined to meet Odinga, given his close ties with Ruto, but some international and regional interventions finally managed to convince him. Ruto has been banking on Museveni’s support in the region, but now that Museveni accepted to meet Odinga in the open and discussed how to tighten stronger ties as Odinga says, it means he [Odinga] could have finally scooped Ruto’s favor from Museveni’s hands.
Political analysts say that Odinga, compared to Ruto is highly respected internationally and regionally. Ruto’s rankings slided back recently when he was linked to a suspected international terrorist camouflaging as a business broker Harun Aydin, among other shoddy deals in the region.
In fact, it is said that the relationship between Kenyatta and Ruto deteriorated over the above matter.
The controversial businessman who was linked to terrorism was amongst the six individuals who were scheduled to accompany Ruto to Uganda then for his meeting with President Museveni.
Ruto defended Aydin as a reputable businessman whom he helped secure a Kenyan Sh15 billion loan to set up a business in Uganda.
The following day, Ruto boldly attacked the President’s administration, directly assailing of running the economy, condemning millions to poverty, and borrowing to unprecedented levels.
Uhuru and Ruto have bitterly fallen out and the unfolding revelations can only be seen as final nails in the coffin.
In February, the President said he would hand over power to a thief – sentiments interpreted as directed at the Ruto who has been banking on boss endorsement to succeed him.
