Raila Opts For A Kikuyu To Manage His Presidential Campaign

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga Campaign Board has appointed Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi as its chairperson.

In a statement Wednesday, Raila said Governor Muriithi, has over 29 years’ experience in leadership and management in Kenya, South Africa, Canada and Australia.

“The Governor of Laikipia, H.E. Hon Ndiritu Muriithi, has been nominated and accepted to become chair of the board of the Raila Odinga 2022 Campaign. An economist and financial markets expert, Governor Muriithi, has over 29 years’ experience in leadership and management in Kenya, South Africa, Canada and Australia. Governor Murithi was instrumental in the drive to have the derelict Nairobi-Nanyuki and Gilgil-Nyahururu railway lines rehabilitated. He is the current finance, planning and economic affairs committee chairperson of the Council of Governors elected in January 2021,” said the statement.

Adding that upon his election as Governor of Laikipia in 2017, Mr Muriithi embarked on radical reforms of the county public service to make it professional and globally competitive.

“ These efforts have been rewarded with unmatched growth of the county’s own source revenue which has doubled since the 2016/2017 financial year. Mr Muriithi is also credited with modernizing key towns of Laikipia under his Smart Towns Initiative funded partial by the World’s Bank’s Urban support and Devolution support programs,” added the statement.

Raila said Mr Muriithi has also refocused the gap between development and positive social change.

“ Under his leadership, over 1600 local Small and Medium Enterprises are undergoing incubation under the Laikipia Innovation and Enterprise Development Programme which he started in 2018 to nurture the SMEs to become manufacturers through increased production.”

Elizabeth Meyo was also appointed to be the campaign CEO and secretary to the board.

He said that Mrs Meyo, currently a consultant to the IMF, brings over three decades of administrative and strategic experience to the position.

“She is the immediate former Commissioner of the Domestic Taxes Department of Kenya Revenue Authority. During her tenure at the KRA, Elizabeth was pivotal in the KRA’s policy and strategy development for the country. She spearheaded the rollout of iTax which was revolutionized revenue collection in Kenya.Mrs Meyo holds a Masters in Law and a Masters in Finance as well as being a Corporate Governance expert. Elizabeth is also the chair of various school boards.”

Mrs Meyo will be the overall chief executive of the campaign, implement its strategic and key decisions, head the campaign secretariat, and make all vital decisions.

She will be the sole campaign spokesperson.