Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his campaign team have come up with a new strategy that seeks to give the former Prime Minister positive publicity in the Mt Kenya region - amid jeers that aspirants in his coalition were fearful of using his image in their campaign posters.
Veteran media practitioners - Sabina Chege and Raphael Tuju - came up with a plan where the campaign will offer a free vehicle branding programme for all interested motorists in the region.
Speaking in Murang'a on Tuesday, May 3, Chege disclosed that the coalition's management was at an advanced stage to set up the branding centre.
She noted that the programme, which she discussed with Tuju (Azimio la Umoja Executive Director) and its chairman Nderitu Muriithi, aims at shouldering the cost that would be incurred by motorists.
"There is a gentleman from the matatu sector and he has whispered to me, 'you know we haven't seen vehicles branded Azimio and Baba'.
"Those of you who have friends, I have talked to Raphael Tuju and our Chairman Nderitu Muriithi, we are going to see how we can have a central branding area. If you have your car or your friends who would love to brand their cars, instead of incurring the cost, We can brand all the vehicles as Azimio. We are going to do that and we are working on it," she explained.
Chege further told the former Prime Minister that the Matatu Owners Association (MOA), which has several saccos countrywide, was ready to offer its fleet for the branding without charging Raila or Azimio any advertising cost.
"The person in charge of matatus in Murang'a and has a network across the country want to commit to you that they will brand their matatu without pay to support," she added.
MOA National Coordinator Albert Karagacha, in an address to the delegates, assured the former prime Minister that all matatus belonging to the association's 27 saccos in Murang'a would be handed in for branding.
He also noted that all the other fleets associated with MOA would get into a similar agreement.
He, however, challenged Odinga, that if he ascends to the Presidency, he should help the association set up training for all its drivers to reduce accidents.
"In Murang'a, we have 27 Saccos that will be branded. Countrywide we shall work together. We would like training for drivers to lower the accident rate. We would like to partner with NYS to help us train them. We are ready to sign a memorandum of understanding," he noted.
He further asked Raila to help regulate the insurance sector arguing that, in the current two check system, some lawyers were pocketing compensation money meant for accident victims.
