Opposition leader Raila Odinga was yesterday confronted by a hostile crowd while on a tour of Kisumu county. The former Prime Minister, who was inspecting development projects in Muhoroni and Kisumu Central constituencies, was booed by residents who said they were opposed to the establishment of an industrial park on a disputed 500-hectare land.
Chanting slogans and waving placards, the residents of Kango vowed not to allow the construction of the park until they are compensated for the land which they said was taken from them in the 1980s.
“This has been our ancestral land and now we are told to move without even being compensated. We will not allow this project to go on,” said Moses Ochieng.
Raila was accompanied by Cabinet secretaries James Macharia (Transport), John Munyes (Petroleum) and Peter Munya (Industrialisation).
Speaking during the tour, Raila repeated his warning of a political storm ahead of the 2022 election.
He said the “heavy” storm would silence and sweep away his opponents and those who are against his alliance with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Speaking in Dholuo Raila said, “Asewacho ni aora ma iluongo ni Nile kosewuok Victoria kochiko Mediterenean ok di gent, we gi los a losa , dhi chop kama go dhi ling tee (I have said that you cannot stop River Nile that is headed to the Mediterranean sea. Let them keep talking but very soon they will be silenced,” he said.
Raila’s warning could be a hint that he is considering a fifth run for State House. The ODM leader also warned politicians engaging in early campaigns, comments interpreted to be aimed at Deputy President William Ruto, who has emerged a frontrunner in the 2022 race.
Raila’s war of words with Ruto on several issues, including the Handshake and the anti-corruption campaign, has cast him as the DP’s main challenger in the succession race.
Ruto and his allies have been accusing Raila of using the Handshake to wreck Jubilee from within and advance his 2022 interest.
But the Raila camp has been attacking Ruto for allegedly opposing the Handshake and the war against corruption.