Prime Minister Raila Odinga Sunday received  massive support for his  Presidential candidature  next year with speakers at a church function in Kisii saying he was the best placed to ensure the full implementation of the  constitution.

Speaker after speaker at the Gekano Catholic Parish  in Nyamira county where the PM attended a church service, hit out at non reformers who opposed the passage of the constitution last year  but are now  masquerading as reformers  out  to lead this country.

The leaders  who  included Ministers Chris Obure and William ole Ntimama  and six members of Parliament  cautioned Kenyans against falling prey of machinations from  politicians who lacked principals  and only pretended to embrace an idea when it suited  them most.

In his address, the PM criticized the Kenya National Union of Teachers(KNUT) and that of the Kenya Union of Post Primary  Teachers(KUPPET) for  agitating for better salaries for their members without  addressing  the poor education standards in schools in the country.

Emphasizing that the teachers' unions should also direct their energies to the improvement of education in the country , the PM  cited some schools in  Kisii and Nyamira counties as badly affected and needing urgent  resuscitation.

He said, "It is unfortunate that schools which used to perform very well including  Kisii High school, Cardinal Otunga high school,Nyabururu girls and Kereri girls are now a pale shadow of their former self."

And added, "We must put strategies in place to revive these schools and I call upon wananchi to team up with the government in this endeavors."

Noting that education was critical  to taking the country to the next level of development,  Raila  explained   that  is the reason why the government had injected massive  funds in education  to achieve this aim.

He commended  the Catholic church for being  in the forefront in the establishment of education institutions in the country noting  many catholic church run schools were some of the best performing schools.

Tribal interests

Raila also touched on the constitution saying the fruits of the new law whose centerpiece is devolution  will be realized next year when it is fully implemented  .

The PM was emphatic that  those who opposed  its passage could not be relied upon to implement the constitution and must be given a wide berth by voters.

He said it was laughable that they were now planning to unite to oppose him in the Presidential race next year. "Am not afraid of them ,  indeed we are ready  for them as ODM," he added.

Saying  the call to unite  among some politicians in the country was to advance tribal interests, the PM  decried tribalism as a vice that has been  the main undoing in the country since independence.

Raila who is the ODM party leaders announced that the party will conduct fair nominations for the party candidate in the forthcoming Kitutu  Masaba by elections.

He advised  the Gusii community  to remain united  and  advance one political interest saying they were better joining hands with other Kenyans in the most popular party, ODM.

The PM asked  the youth to obtain  the new identity cards when issuance begins noting that the new cards will also serve as voting cards next year.