The plan is to endorse the former Prime Minister’s bid on August 7, two days to the August 9 General elections, at a venue in Nairobi that is yet to be announced.
NAIROBI, Kenya: The Diasporians in Kenya are planning to officially endorse the Azimio La Umoja Presidential Candidate Raila Odinga and his Running Mate Martha Karua next week in Nairobi. The plan is to endorse the duo on August 7, two days to the August 9 General elections, at a venue in Nairobi that is yet to be disclosed.
The decision was amicable reached on August 29 after a strategy meeting held at the Azimio Young Turks for Handshake (YOTHA) Secretariat at Riverside, Nairobi and attended by a section of Diasporians in Kenya, returnees, YOTHA leadership and Raila Odinga Presidential Campaign Team led by Ben Agina, Director of International & Diaspora Affairs.
Global Kenya Diaspora Network Network [GKDN] Chairman Patrick Karoga led a 20-strong delegation that included Smart Africa Media Founder and Azimio Namibia Chapter Coordinator Elvis Mboya to emphasize on the need to formally throw weight behind the former Prime Minister’s bid, noting that for months now, the Diaspora Community in the country and abroad have been supporting the Azimio ticket through various activities on the ground and online, it’s time to converge them at a centralized venue to pronounce their unified and unwavering support for the candidate.
Several Kenyans living in the Diaspora are currently in the country to drum up support for the former Prime Minister. While in Kenya they are involved in various activities to boost the campaign that include mobilising resources to support different volunteer work on the ground and have personally accompanied HE Odinga and Hon Karua on the campaign trail mostly in Mt Kenya region and Nairobi to sensitize undecided voters and increase voter turnout. Others are contesting for elective seats on Azimio affiliate parties.
HE Odinga’s manifesto details a 10-point agenda that includes ensuring equality in resource distribution across the 47 counties, Baba Care, and Education among others. He has also pledged to reinvigorate and ensure the actualization of Vision 2030 by improving on gains made by the current government.
The number of Kenyan Diaspora is currently estimated to be over three million and possess significant human, material and financial resources, a fraction that are remitted back at home to support their extended families, the very voters they can convince to vote for HE Odinga.
According to the Central Bank of Kenya report, the cumulative inflows for the 12 months to May 2022 totalled $3,992 million compared to $3,365 million in the same period in 2021, an increase of 18.6%. CBK says this strong remittances inflow continues to support the current account and the stability of the exchange rate.
