Raila-Karua billboard vandalised in Bomet
A billboard of Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his running mate Martha Karua has been vandalised in Bomet County.
Images of the extensively damaged billboard have been widely shared on social media.
The incident comes barely a week after a billboard of Deputy President William Ruto, who is perceived to be Mr Odinga’s biggest rival in the August 9 General Election, was brought down in the ODM leader’s Kisumu backyard.
Bomet is considered to be a stronghold of Dr Ruto, who is seeking to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta on a Kenya Kwanza Alliance ticket.
ODM Communication Director Philip Etale has since condemned the incident in Bomet, while pointing an accusing finger at politicians allied to the DP.
However, Etale didn’t mentioned the so-called politicians by name but said Azimio supporters will not be shaken by the incident.
“Never mind, the billboard shall be up again. We are undeterred. We are Azimio and that will never change,” Etale tweeted.
The vandalism in Bomet comes just as the official campaigns is getting started, with leaders calling for political intolerance.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is currently verifying the candidates’ papers to ascertain that they meet the set requirements.
The presidential candidates are being scrutinized at the Bomas of Kenya, an exercise that is being presided over by IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati.
By Thursday, only two presidential candidates had been cleared to run for the country’s top seat.
Walter Mong’are, well known as Nyambane of the Umoja Summit party was the first candidate to get clearance, followed by the Roots Party presidential candidate Prof George Wajackoyah.