More Details Emerge on Why and How Raila was Badly Embarrased in His Backyard

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More details have emerged of what transpired before Raila Odinga was shouted down by a hostile crowd in Muhoroni recently.

Sources have indicated that Raila had differed with local leaders present with area MP Onyango K’oyoo missing as he was out of the country.Former mp Ayiecho Olweny is backing the project.Olweny firm is to carry environment impact on the project.

Incidentally K’oyoo was not in the tour where Raila was heckled by a hostile and charging crowd.

Others say that Governor Anyang’ Nyong’ also skipped the event aware the residents were opposed to the project Raila was imposing on them. It is said that a family member of Odingas is eyeing a construction contract on the controversial site.

Koyoo, in 2013 went to parliament on a PDP party ticket and has in the past cried foul over the manner in which party nominations are conducted within ODM.

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Kisumu county officials had faced a similar predicament when they went ahead of the scheduled tour by Raila.
The team left Ombeyi in a hurry amidst hostilities from angry crowds who wanted compensation before any project is undertaken in the area.

County officials were earlier chased away from the Kenya Medical Training College grounds after irate students said their land cannot be grabbed.

The venue was later moved to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital.

Chaos erupted when Raila stood to speak about an industrial park the government intends to build in the area ..
Raila was heckled by angry residents some of whom carried placards ridiculing his handshake with Uhuru Kenyatta.

Angered by the turn of events, the former PM said some people were out to embarrass him and his entourage that included three cabinet secretaries.

The ugly encounter occurred when the ODM leader tried to explain government policy.

Raila announced that the journey to make Kisumu an economic zone had begun and will officially be launched by Uhuru and two other presidents from the region in three months.

He said that the government is on the right track noting that the the president himself is behind the project.
Raila was at pains trying to explain that heads of state will go there in August to launch the project formally.
He said they will invite Yoweri Museveni and Felix Tshisekedi of DRC.

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Raila accompanied by three cabinet secretaries flew to Kisumu to drum up support for the creation of a special economic zone.

He and his delegation toured government projects in the county including the Kenya Pipeline Oil jetty.

The visit came weeks after Uhuru and Raila failed to secure Sh368 billion funding from China to extend the standard gauge railway to Kisumu, heightening anxiety in the Raila’s foremost political bastion.

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Matters were worsened after Transport CS James Macharia announced that the upgrading of the old railway line will also bypass the lakeside city as the government preferred the Eldoret route which is less damaged.

Raila’s delegation met by resistance at Ombeyi in Muhoroni with residents demanding compensation from the government before the project kicks off.

It is here that the government plans to establish a special economic zone by building an industrial park.
Residents claimed the 500-acre land is their ancestral land which was given irregularly to Ahero municipal council after torrential rains pounded the region for months in the early 1980s.

They said displaced persons were moved to safer ground and years later the land was unprocedurally registered under the Ahero council.

Immediately the ODM leader was welcomed by Kisumu deputy governor Mathews Owili to address the residents, a section of the crowd began heckling in a bid to disrupt his speech.

Some carried placards, written “handshake is not for land grabbing” in a clear attack on his truce with Uhuru.
Raila attempted to cool the crowd down saying some elements were out to embarrass him with his guests.

“The matter of land and compensation is a small issue that can be solved. If you don’t want the project it will be taken elsewhere by the government. How can I bring visitors here and you carry placards? Do you want to embarrass me?” Odinga said.

The former PM was accompanied by CSs Macharia (Transport), Peter Munya (Industrialization) and John Munyes (Petroleum and Mining CS)

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