Thika residents raid Kalonzo's backyard to campaign for Uhuru.

Some of the scenes as the Thika Na UhuRuto Team transversed the three counties of Kiambu, Machakos and Kitui to woo voters to vote for President Uhuru Kenyatta in the October 17 presidential rerun.

A section of Thika residents and business community on Tuesday took President Uhuru Kenyatta’s vote hunting mission to Machakos and Kitui Counties in Ukambani, the backyard of NASA presidential running mate Kalonzo Musyoka.

The Jubilee brigade dubbed ‘Thika Na UhuRuto Team’ had a series of campaign stopovers in Kithimani, Ndalani, Matuu, Kanyoyoo and Kithyoko in Machakos County before heading to Mwingi in Kitui County which is largely seen as an opposition ground.

The tour was generally successful with the residents of the two counties according their guests some warm welcome.

Save for only one unfortunate incident when the convoy was stoned by a few youth on bodaboda bikes as they were leaving Mwingi town heading back to Thika, the tour was generally very peaceful. In that late evening incident, a few vehicles had the windows and windscreens smashed as the rest went home with some body dents.

Sources from the area revealed that a local politician used cronies who quickly mobilised and incited the youth to stone the convoy as the left so as to create a picture that the region was not ready for Jubilee leadership.

“There was a Toyota Harrier vehicle that was monitoring you from the time you left Matuu. Just as you were about to leave here (Mwingi Town), another probox saloon car came and distributed some Raila campaign materials and mobilised the youth to follow your convoy,” said our source.

While addressing the residents of Kithimani, the team led by Thika businessman Chege Wa Gathu pleaded with electorates in Ukambani to re-elect President Uhuru Kenyatta. Referring to them as ‘Athoniwa’ (In-laws), Chege told them that by working together with the Jubilee government, the Akamba community would increase the bargaining power as they pushed for their interests from within.

“If there is something somebody has done that is good, let us be jubilant with it. The president has initiated so many projects that are going to turn around the economy of this region in future. We urge you as our Athoniwa to this time round vote him in as we forge ahead together for more development projects,” said Chege at Kithimani.

He insisted that President Kenyatta’s transformation agenda was unrivaled by his competitors as evident in his government’s good performance in the past four years.

“I know you have experienced the impact of progress as Kenyans and as the Kamba community. That’s why you should vote for President Uhuru Kenyatta. He has a great plan for you and by reelecting him back to office, you will give his government mandate to millions new jobs, lower the cost of living by continuing to invest in farms and markets, transport and trade. Better days lie ahead with the jubilee government,” he said.

Dick Githaiga aka DIMKEN castigated the ugly incident at Mwingi calling on leaders to practice political tolerance as a principle of free democracy. He however clarified that they were unshaken by the incident as they would still forge ahead to campaign for the president even in other regions perceived to be NASA strongholds.

He challenged local leaders especially in Kiambu County to wake up and champion for the re-election of Uhuru Kenyatta.

“We came out to campaign for the president after realising that the people we voted in have taken a back seat in the presidential campaign. We have been hurt, as the business community, by this prolonged campaign period and we would wish that it’s over so that we can go back to nation building.

Youth leader Murathe Njoroge urged the youth to desist from being misused by politicians as they (the youth) stood to lose the most in an event something drastic happened. He vowed to use his influence to ensure that all those who never voted on the 8^th of August were convinced to get out and cast their votes for Uhuru Kenyatta.

“We plan to set up clusters in all the wards within Kiambu County that will used to identifying the locations of those who never voted in August. We will also lay down comprehensive strategies to that will ensure everyone was assisted to get to the polling stations so that we can guarantee an Uhuru win by more than 3 million votes,” said Murathe.

Madam Phiona Syokao, who was a NASA MCA candidate for Kithimani Ward in August, said that she had opted to jump ship to the Jubilee Party after realising that the opposition had very slim chances of winning the October 17 election. She appreciated the Thika team’s initiative and promised to mobilise for more votes in the region for the president.  

Charles Matheka Nduva from Yatta in Machakos County was happy that President Uhuru Kenyatta was gaining inroads in Ukambani region something that was unheard of previously. He promised to campaign for the president and ensure that he won the October election by about 70% of the votes cast.

“Every indication points out at an Uhuru Kenyatta win. We can no longer deceive ourselves otherwise and it is only prudent that the Kamba people join in the winning bandwagon,” said Matheka.