Why Raila was heckled in his home turret

RAILA ODINGA 
Image: FILE

Opposition chief Raila Odinga who has become the face of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s legacy projects for the first time encountered hostility in his political base.

Chaos broke out in Muhoroni, Kisumu county, when Raila stood up to speak about an industrial park the government wants to build in the area. The residents want compensation before the project takes off on their land.

Raila was heckled by angry residents some of whom carried placards ridiculing his handshake with Uhuru.

Upset 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 articulate government policy, signaling his newfound influence within the Jubilee administration.

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.

“The government is on the right track. The President himself is very much behind this project and he says he wants to come here in August to do the launching of this project formally and we will invite President Museveni and also President Tshisekedi of DRC,” Raila told journalists

“It’s all systems go as we leave here.”

Raila, flanked by three Cabinet Secretaries in a clear show of his political might, flew to Kisumu to whip up support for the creation of a special economic zone.

He and his delegation toured many government projects in the city including the controversial Kenya Pipeline Oil jetty.