RAILA ODINGA MERU COUNTY TOUR

Cord Leader Raila Odinga refused to open the new ODM office in Meru after major rifts among regional delegates took place in his presence. He declined to address the differences focusing instead on promoting the Okoa Kenya referendum. The office situated in Gitimbine was on Thursday evening smeared with old car oil by one of the wrangling teams seeking to have the former prime minister open its office in a different part of the town. It took the efforts of some of the Gatobu Marete team allies to repaint it Friday Morning before the official opening which did not take place. In his address to the delegates at Gitoro Conference Centre, before proceeding to address a public rally at the Mailitatu area of Igembe Central, Raila said he would invite the warring factions to Orange House to settle their differences among the delegates. He appealed to residents to support the Okoa Kenya referendum saying he has the interest of Kenyans at heart and true patriots should emulate him. “As it stands now, the Constitution needs to be amended to benefit Kenyans more. Before we promulgated it four years ago we had already agreed that some sections needed to be changed to make a better document. Now we have worn the shoes for four years and we know where it pinches,” said Raila. He lashed out at Deputy President William Ruto whom he said has continued to dwell in denial that the constitution requires amendments yet he was opposed to it four years ago. “Time is ripe for a referendum because it will support devolution. We are saying 45 per cent of our revenue should be given to the counties. In Nigeria, the counties get 52 per cent and the central government remains with 48 per cent”, he said. He further said that there is no need to increase taxes to fund government activities and lamented about few tarmac roads in Meru saying the national government has persistently held onto funds meant for projects. “Tharaka and other parts in lower eastern have acute water shortages and counties need enough medicine and money to pay health workers. The monies that counties have is not enough to do all that,” said Raila. He was accompanied by Senators James Orengo and Johnstone Muthama, ODM executive director Magerer Langat and MPs Junet Mohammed and Fred Outa