Opposition leader Raila Odinga has thrown his support behind the ‘one man, one vote, one shilling’ model, echoing the sentiments advocated by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and a faction of leaders representing the Mt. Kenya region.
Speaking after his meeting with the organizers of Limuru III gathering, Odinga reiterated his backing for the model.
Dismissing critics’ claims of discrimination, the Azimio la Umoja boss defended the policy, affirming that it promotes equitable resource distribution by allocating more government resources to populous regions.
“The issue of resource sharing was extensively discussed during the deliberations in Limuru. Unfortunately, it has been misrepresented as discriminatory against certain regions of our country,” Raila stated.
Moreover, Odinga explained that the model would ensure equitable resource distribution across all Kenyan regions, underscoring the imperative of embracing its principles.
“Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s not about discrimination. Our aim is to guarantee that every Kenyan receives a fair share of resources. That’s the reality. It’s unacceptable for some children to receive more bursary money than others in different parts of the country.”
“This is a conversation that, if we openly engage in, we can persuade the majority of our people that it’s the right direction, which is why we proposed it in the BBI. We aim to ensure every Kenyan is fairly treated, which is why we support ‘one man, one vote, one shilling.’ I wholeheartedly endorse it. While it might not be popular in some circles, let’s initiate this dialogue,” Raila urged.
Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni and former Laikipia Governor Nderitu Muriithi were in attendance, providing Raila with the resolutions from the conference.
Muriithi emphasized the need to halt wasteful spending at the national level and eliminate function duplication, advocating for resources to align with functions at the county level.
The Deputy President has staunchly supported the one man, one vote, one shilling revenue-sharing agreement, arguing that it would benefit the Mt Kenya region.
Gachagua urged the region’s residents to scrutinize politicians’ statements and identify those opposed to the proposal.
He asserted that the revenue-sharing agreement was the rightful entitlement of the people of Mt Kenya, labeling anyone campaigning against it as not their ally or defender.
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