Raila Odinga met the elite group from the Mount Kenya region known as the Mount Kenya Foundation on Tuesday at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi.

The team that comprises top Mt Kenya tycoons endorsed Raila’s bid to State House and pledged their backing for his quest.

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Apparently, the Mount Kenya Foundation said it was tasked with the responsibility of presenting a name for a possible candidate to take over the presidency upon his retirement.

The team’s chairperson Titus Ibui revealed that President Uhuru Kenyatta met the club members at Sagana, Nyeri and sought their counsel in identifying his successor.

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"The President asked us to advise him on what type of person he should hand the mantle to," said Ibui.

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The team hailed Raila’s just-concluded tour on Mt Kenya as a sign of a better political future. They intimated Raila would build on Uhuru’s legacy.

Ibui also said they wanted someone who would take over and ensure continuity of development projects that have already been begun.

The team also said they did not want someone who will disrupt their businesses and someone agreeable on a way forward.

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“We want somebody who will take over and there will be continuity in the kind of development projects that have been started. Secondly, somebody who will not disturb our businesses and thirdly somebody who we can sit with and agree on how to go forward,” added Ibui.

The Mount Kenya leaders vowed to campaign for Raila ahead of the 2022 elections and assured him he did not need to worry about followers, as they would follow him as long as he inspired them.

“If you are going to Mt. Kenya, you don’t have to look for followers. Followers will come to you so long as you inspire them. So, you don’t have to seek followers.”

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The Governor for Nyandarua Francis Kimemia revealed that their previous task was to attack and tarnish Raila’s name.

“We must change the narrative. Our previous task was to tarnish Raila’s name and attack him. I don’t want to repeat those words,” said Kimemia.

The commissioner Gender Commission Priscilla Nyokabi said they needed assurance that private property will be respected throughout the country.

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“We need to be assured that private property will be respected anywhere in this country. We cannot be foreigners in our own country,” Nyokabi said.

The chairman of Royal Media Services SK Macharia charged Raila with the responsibility of ensuring the stability of the nation. He saluted Uhuru for the handshake and urged him to leave the country in capable hands for prosperity.

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“Without President Uhuru Kenyatta there would be no handshake. We salute him for that. We ask him to leave that handshake to good hands so that it can continue,” said Macharia.

The presidential hopeful spoke and brought forth his past associations with the people of the region, including his alliance with former President Mwai Kibaki.

Raila said during their coalition with Kibaki, Vision 2030 was born and it was aimed at transforming Kenya from a third-world country to a middle-economy by 2030