ODM leader Raila Odinga’s 2022 presidential quest received a huge boost after all senior leaders and politicians from the Pokot community declared they will rally the community behind the former prime minister at the polls.
On Monday, the ODM leader accompanied by Governor John Lonyangapuo met with delegates of the Lonyangapuo led Kenya Union Party (KUP) at Kishaunet showground where the leaders presented to him a list of issues from the community they need to be addressed once he takes over from President Uhuru Kenyatta next year.
One of the requests made was the creation of the Pokot Community Code, which will be majorly used to identify the community.
“Pokot community to have her own identification code and should not be named as Kalenjin.”
They also want major community development projects, including the creation of two more constituencies, and the creation of five wards.
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KUP leaders including Lonyangapuo, Pokot South MP David Pkosing, former Tiaty MP Asman Kamama, and Senator Samuel Poghisio, who hosted Raila during his tour of the county, said the Pokot community was solidly behind his candidature.
“We will support Hon Raila Odinga as the next President of the Republic of Kenya,” Pkosing said as he read the declaration.
The declaration comes as a boost to Raila who is challenging the dominance of Deputy President William Ruto in the region.
“The Pokot community has suffered for long because subsequent governments have sidelined them. This time we want to be on the negotiating table. We will no longer gamble with our 300,000 votes in West Pokot and Tiaty,” said Lonyangapuo.
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The ODM leader acknowledged the Pokot community has been marginalised for years and urged them to elect leaders wisely in the forthcoming elections.
”West Pokot has been marginalised for all those years because the distribution of resources has not been done equally. My government will put tap water to every doorstep, open irrigation schemes as well as Turkwel dam to be used for irrigation and provide water for livestock,” the ODM leader said.
