Now polls released recently by the same Steadman
that Kenyans used to criticize, now show the ODM candidate, Raila
Odinga leading the pack by 47 per cent, president Kibaki who used to
lead the pack comes
second with 38 per cent while ODM- Kenya’s
presidential candidate Kalonzo Musyoka who also used to lead the
pack comes a distant third with a paltry 8 per cent.
Not only is Odinga the most popular candidate for
the top seat, his party ODM is also the most popular party in Kenya,
leading in all provinces except in Central and Eastern. And with
Ngilu’s defection to ODM last
week, Eastern province where she hails from is
likely going to be the battle ground between Raila, president Kibaki
and Kalonzo. Ngilu is a very popular politician in Kenya today and
ODM relies heavily on her to
deliver women votes.
But there is one interesting scenario that has
emerged from the latest polls; whereas the first polls that showed
president Kibaki leading the pack were roundly criticized by
opposition MPs as well as by ordinary
Kenyans on the streets, the latest polls that
show ODM candidate Raila Odinga leading the pack have never been
criticized by Kenyans.
In fact, most Kenyans now opine that the latest
polls that show ODM candidate Raila Odinga leading the pack with 47
per cent; reflect the true position on the ground. Some even say ODM
candidate’s rating is likely to shoot up to 50 per cent or even more
immediately parliament is dissolved.
This school of thought opines that, majority of
Kenya’s sitting MPs are simply buying time waiting for parliament to
be dissolved then they defect to ODM because it is the party of the
moment. And this explains why there is scramble for ODM nomination
forms by both parliamentary and civic candidates.
So far, ODM has raked in a whopping Ksh300
million in nomination forms alone. And before 15th October, i.e. the
deadline for picking nomination forms for both parliamentary and
civic candidates, the party might rake in Ksh500 million or more in
nomination forms alone. As a fund raising strategy, this sounds a
brilliant idea, since the party will have raised enough funds to
finance its campaigns.
Whichever way one looks at it, the truth of the
matter is: Riala Odinga is elect able among Kenyans and he is the
man to beat in this year’s presidential election. Those who used to
say he is unelectable should prepare themselves for the campaign of
their lives.
By
Vincent Orute 