Opposition leader Raila Odinga has thrown his weight behind calls for implementing the controversial “one man, one vote, one shilling” formula for equitable distribution of national resources across the country. The model, advocated by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and some Mt. Kenya leaders, aims to ensure every Kenyan gets an equal share of public funds and development initiatives.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday after meeting organizers of the Limuru III conference led by Jeremiah Kioni, Odinga affirmed his backing for the concept. He claimed its essence has been widely misconstrued as discriminatory against certain regions when the true intent is to promote fairness.
“Extensive discussions were held in Limuru on resource allocation. Somehow this has been misrepresented as discriminating against parts of our nation,” Odinga stated. “That could not be further from the truth. It’s about guaranteeing each and every Kenyan receives a fair share of resources. It cannot be right that some children get more bursary funds than others simply due to their home area.”
The Azimio la Umoja chief emphasized his total agreement with the “one man, one vote, one shilling” principle, despite its unpopularity in certain quarters. He urged open dialogue to convince the public of its merits, noting a similar proposal was part of the erstwhile Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
“If we frankly discuss this, we can convince most Kenyans it’s the right approach. That’s why we had proposed it under BBI – to ensure every Kenyan is treated equally,” he explained. “I totally agree with ‘one man, one vote, one shilling.’ It may not be popular in some quarters but let’s have this conversation.”