Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga has asked leaders to stop ethnic and regional campaigns for successor as it could divide people.
Raila also asked leaders aspiring to succeed him as ODM party leader should go slow as he was still the party leader and likened them to men who want to inherit a widow whose husband is still alive.
The former Prime Minister was reacting to calls by Coast ODM leaders who had asked him to give former Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho a chance to succeed him after winning the African Union chairman post.
Coast leaders who accompanied Raila in a fundraiser for orphans at Malindi Muslim Orphanage included Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro, his Mombasa Counterpart Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir, Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo, Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi the host, Magarini MP Harrison Kombe, Mombasa Women Rep Zamzam Mohamed, Kaloleni MP Paul Katana among other leaders from Kilifi and Mombasa counties.
In his speech Raila said if leaders such as those from coast continue asking for their own to be party leader, then those in other areas will do the same and the party will fall.
He donated Sh. 1.5 million in the fundraiser that raised Sh. 7.8 million shillings while Mung’aro and Sheriff donated Sh. 70,000 each while MPs present donated Sh.100,000 each