The National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition has gained a new member from the Mt Kenya region, a perceived stronghold of President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee party. Senator Kithure Kindiki's brother, Isaiah Kindiki, has defected from the Jubilee party to join the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), a key partner in the NASA coalition.
Isaiah Kindiki, who will vie for the MP seat in Tharaka constituency in the August 2017 elections, cited disagreements with his brother's political ideologies as the reason for his decision to support the opposition. His move has excited various discussions on social media platforms in Tharaka-Nithi, with some analyzing it as a strategic move and others speculating about its implications for his brother's relationship with Jubilee party members.
The NASA coalition, led by Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Moses Wetangula, and Musalia Mudavadi, has been touring the region, urging locals to vote for them in the upcoming elections. During the tour, Raila Odinga emphasized the need for change, stating,
"We are here to sell our policies as NASA and invite the people of Meru and Tharaka Nithi and all Kenyans to join the push for lasting change that is gathering momentum across the nation, propelled by a shared feeling that the nation is sick and needs a cure."
Raila Odinga also criticized the Jubilee government for failing miraa farmers in the region following a ban on the import of the stimulant to Europe and the UK.
