We are in our bedroom, Raila Odinga retorts after voting in Kibra

ODM leader Raila Odinga on Thursday cast his vote in the Kibra by-election.

He arrived at the Old Kibra Primary School accompanied by his daughter Rosemary and was received by National Assembly Minority Chief-Whip Junet Mohammed.

”I urge those who have not voted to come out from their residences and vote today (Thursday),” Raila said after casting his vote.

”We are in our bedroom and I want to urge our people to protect our bedroom against infiltration by strangers and outsiders,” he added.

The former PM was responding to a scathing attack from opponents including DP William Ruto and ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi.

Four days ago, DP Ruto whose Jubilee party is fielding MacDonald Mariga, claimed that ODM no longer has a hold on Kibra.

According to him, despite winning previous elections in Kibra, there has been no development for constituents which is why they want change.

“The truth of the matter is that Raila never developed and empowered the people of Kibra when he was an MP. The projects he failed to deliver in all those years have been done by Jubilee in these few years. So there is a problem in that bedroom. Things are not good for ‘Baba’ in Kibra,” DP Ruto said.

On Thursday, the DP maintained a confident stance but accused ODM of being behind the chaos witnessed in several polling stations.

There had been claims of voter bribery and low turn out, of which the DP refuted.

The people of kibra have turned up in numbers to vote for their MP resisting the violence narrative by our opponents. Peaceful voting is going on in many polling centres and Security officers are on alert to deal with acts of lawlessness. Change is imminent! Mungu mbele

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) November 7, 2019

On his part, Mudavadi who has been accused of betraying ODM after he announced that he would be fielding an ANC candidate (Eliud Owalo), has maintained that Kibra needs a leader who will deliver.

On Thursday, he urged voters to vote wisely and maintain peace adding that IEBC should ensure a free and fair election.

The decision to field Imran Okoth split the NASA coalition with Mudavadi responding to the accusations of betrayal as ‘garbage’.

“Kibra is not Raila Odinga’s political bedroom,” he said during a rally.

“Kibra cannot be anyone’s doormat as is being suggested. Nor is it anyone’s private property, their house or their bedroom,” he added.

Ford Kenya, which too has shown signs of strain within the NASA coalition, is also fielding its own candidate Eng. Khamisi Butichi.