Usawa kwa Wote’s Mwangi wa Iria Joins Raila’s Azimio

Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria has joined the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance coalition party.

The Usawa kwa Wote Party leader who was contesting for the presidency declared his stand on Tuesday.

According to the outgoing county boss, Raila consented to incorporate the Azimio manifesto into his Usawa manifesto.

If Azimio leads the next administration, Wa Iria and Raila declared that they will carry out his one cow, one household policy.

Read: Governor Wa Iria Protests Removal From List Of Presidential Candidates

“I told Raila that if we combined his Sh6,000 pledge and my cow programme then we will take Kenyan families above the poverty line. I told him that those have to be in our joint manifesto and we did a deal. He stated that will happen,” he said.

“Through that joined manifesto, Usawa Kwa Wote will support the candidature of Raila. My supporters will now rally behind Raila Odinga.”

The governor also made it clear that, should Raila win the election on August 9, he will demand for a cabinet slot.

“If I get to the Cabinet, I will implement all the programmes because I have the knowledge. The people of Murang’a should therefore rally behind me and we shall demand that Raila gives me a cabinet position,” he stated.

Read Also: Presidential Hopeful Mwangi wa Iria Names Kisii Politician Alfayo Onyambu as Running Mate

The Murang’a governor disclosed that Raila was the only person who contacted him following the IEBC’s “injustice” in excluding him from the presidential contest.

He made the choice to support Raila and join the Azimio during their three-hour conversation.

“Raila Odinga engaged me in 3 hour discussion and we talked man to man with mzee. He was the only person who admitted to me that injustice was committed,” he continued.

The county chief claimed he had made up his mind to turn his party into a resistance movement before speaking with Raila.

Read Also: Governor Wa Iria Wants Uhuru to Back His Presidential Bid

“As all of this happened, I made a decision that after this, I would turn my party into a resistance movement. I said it would be Usawa Resistance movement because we are fighting injustice starting with electoral injustice, then economic, social and other forms of injustice,” Wa Iria said.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) disqualified him from running for president in May.

The governor, who is currently serving his second and final term, launched his bid for the country’s top job last year.

However, the IEBC boss Wafula Chebukati refused to give him the go-ahead because he did not submit his paperwork on time.

Read Also: I Have 10 Million Votes in the Bag – Wa Iria Claims

In saying that the Chebukati can only delay his political career but not halt it, Wa Iria compared Chebukati to King Herod in the Bible.

“He (Chebukati) went Herod on me and he will face what Herod faced in the bible.He attempted suicide because what he did to me,” he said.

The governor asserted that there was one political camp which celebrated his problems.

He criticized the Kenya Kwanza faction in the Mt. Kenya region, which is led by Rigathi Gachagua, the running mate of Deputy President William Ruto, saying that he was uncaring and had little regard for local leaders.

“It has reached a level where people think that they are the Kings of Murang’a. I am the de facto leader of Murang’a and I have been their leader for 10 years dealing with their problems every day and that is why they have been voting for me.”