Raila Odinga endorsed as Azimio la Umoja presidential flagbearer, over 20 parties sign pact

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga has been endorsed as the Azimio la Umoja movement joint presidential candidate ahead of the August 9 polls.

Speaking at KICC during the Azimio la Umoja National Delegates Convention (NDC), Odinga welcomed the endorsement vowing to be a revolutionary leader with the mandate he has been entrusted to ramp up the state of the nation.

"I accept this nomination with absolute gratitude and dedication to our people, our country, and all the leaders who have endorsed this nomination. You have handed me a strong, unified and bold platform to stand on and an additional pair of hands to help steady the ship," said Odinga.

"Azimio is a bold democratic movement which puts premium on national unity, inclusive development and transparent, accountable use of public resources. We will use it to continue the struggle to eradicate poverty, ignorance and disease that our nationalists initiated at our independence but still remains a work in progress."

President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was also in attendance at the NDC, lauded other parties for giving Raila Odinga the flag bearer nod thereby bolstering his confidence in Odinga's leadership.

President Kenyatta told the delegates that he believes Odinga has the right leadership tools to elevate Kenya into a booming state.

"Leo hii tumeungana kama delegates wa vyama tofauti kuchagua, na tumemchagua bila kupingwa, yule ambaye atakuwa rais wa tano wa Jamhuri ya Kenya, Mheshimiwa Raila Odinga,"said the Head of State.

"Na mimi sina shaka ya kwamba ana uwezo, nia, na Mwenyezi Mungu atamjalia aweze kuhakikisha ya kwamba taifa letu la Kenya litasonga mbele na maendeleo, umoja, kupiganana na ufisadi, na kuwa nchi ambayo itaheshimika kote duniani."

The NDC saw over 20 affiliate parties in attendance sign a coalition agreement to officially declare their alliance to the Azimio la Umoja outfit.

Among the parties were Wiper led by Kalonzo Musyoka, Gideon Moi’s KANU, Wafula Wamunyinyi’s DAP-K, as well as Governor Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap among others.

After the NDC, Odinga in the company of President Kenyatta and other leaders headed to the Jacaranda grounds to address his supporters.