Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria wants every Kenyan household to be given a dairy cow in a bid to lift a majority of the people out of poverty.
Mr Iria, a second term governor who had modelled his campaigns around the promise of a cow and better milk prices, says he is ready to implement his ideas at the national level.
He will run for the seat under his Usawa kwa Wote party.
“The cow in our logo is an empowerment symbol for the farmer. Usawa kwa Wote party is drafting a bill that will ensure every Kenyan has a cow. A cow is a rich investment. You don’t have to give every household Sh6,000 a month,” the governor said.
The Sh6,000-per-month promise is a key tenet of Azimio la Umoja movement led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Addressing the press at his party headquarters yesterday, Mr Wa Iria said his party has launched the registration process for aspirants seeking various elective positions.
“We are on a mission to ensure we aggressively participate in this nation’s democratic process and claim power. This party is not affiliated to any other party. It is a coalition of voters and it’s bigger than any other coalition that can ever be formed in this nation,” he said.
He said his party would champion policies that bring equity and national unity. “What has driven this nation apart is inequality. The youth need to be given equal opportunities. People in one section of the country complain that others are getting a bigger or sweeter share of the national cake, and people of the same gender complain that others are being favoured. Traders complain that the big traders are given opportunities to grow. If you treat people with equity then you have solved all problems, that is what our party wants to deal with,” he said.
“I am opening the party to Kenyans and to everyone who ascribes to equity. If you feel you are not treated well in your party, join Usawa.”
He condemned the narrative that the 2022 elections are only about Mr Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto, saying he “carries the biggest basket of votes” in the nation.
“People have a couple of votes there, and they are calling themselves horses. Yet we have over 10 million votes. There is no way people with two million votes can classify themselves as horses, and want to get us out of the game. Before Raila and Ruto declared their intentions, they went back home to consolidate their votes and found them few. They are coming for votes from our region. Our people are not for auction,” said Mr Wa Iria.
“I beseech my people to give me their votes, and when I get enough votes to take me to State House, we will share the rest.” BY DAILY NATION