KILOME, KENYA: Jubilee candidate for the Makueni senate seat Philip Kaloki on the first day of his public campaign walked to a very hostile electorate in Kilome constituency.
Kaloki had difficulties addressing a crowd at Salama Township Wednesday, and was even forced to cut short his speech midway after the rowdy crowd shouted him down with chants of ‘Kethi, Kethi’.
When the crowd proved too hostile for him, Kaloki got to his car and left the crowd still shouting after him.
He attributed his tribulations to his competitors, who he said were aware of his itinerary and paid some few disgruntled individuals to scuttle his campaigns.
The voters repeated their earlier threats that they would boycott the election if Kethi Kilonzo who has been locked out of the race is not on the ballot.
Kaloki was however able to address voters at Sultan Hamud, Kasikeu and Kithina trading centers on the same day, where he asked the residents to support Jubilee and Kenyatta’s government.
At Kithina market, Kaloki asked the people to support his candidature because he is their son as Kilome is his birth place.
“Kilome is my birth place and I appreciate you overwhelmingly voted for me when I contested the governorship in March. Am asking to accord me the same support now,” he said.
He asked the people to support Uhuru’s government, saying that is the only way they can stand a better chance of benefiting from the 85 per cent resources at the hands of the national government.
“I traversed the whole county with Raila and Kalonzo in March seeking your support but we failed. Let us now work with the government under Uhuru’s leadership,” he said.
“Are you giving me the permission to work with the government?” Kaloki asked the people to which they responded in the affirmative.
He told the residents to vote for a person whom they can reach and who will give the county’s most pressing needs a priority.
Kaloki caused laughter when he asked those who would vote for Mwau to raise their hands, asking them where they always see him. The people responded by saying they always see him in the ‘air’.
He said his goal is to protect the county’s rivers that have been scooped bare causing a pervasive water crisis in the county.
Meanwhile Labor party of Kenya candidate Jane Wavinya Kitundu has hinted of talks between her, party boss Julia Ojiambo and top CORD leadershipto endorse her as a compromise candidate if Kethi’s case hits the wall.
“I can confirm that there are talks going on but we will give details after a deal is reached. I am sure very soon Kethi and I will embark on a joint campaign to ensure Cord wins this seat,” she said.-standardmedia.co.ke
