The Luo council of elders plan to hold a meeting to discuss the impact of the announcement by the former Cabinet Minister Raphael Tuju’s bid for the presidency may have on the prime minister Raila Odinga's candidature for the post. The announcement has continued to draw mixed reactions from a section of Nyanza leaders.
While some leaders say it is his democratic right to contest any position in the country, others view it a scheme to scuttle PM Raila Odinga’s votes.
Yesterday, Luo council of elders chairman Ker Willis Otondi confirmed that they are planning to meet to discuss Tuju’s candidacy. “All is set and we want to meet as elders before formally inviting Tuju and church leaders to chat our political destiny,” said Otondi.
Otondi said Prime Minister Raila Odinga is better placed to clinch the Presidency next year adding that they would not want another candidate from the region to be a barrier. “We want the Prime Minister to get block votes from this region come next elections,” he said. He however, noted that “our quest to meet the former Minister should not be viewed as a threat to democracy since it is aimed at creating unity of purpose.”
He said they would advise the former Rarieda MP to vie for other positions in the devolved government system. “We know Tuju’s past records as Rarieda MP speaks for itself and we are ready to support him for other positions in the government,” added Otondi.
Tuju’s resignation as Presidential adviser on ethics and media relations last Week and subsequent launch of his Presidential bid has met criticisms from several leaders from Nyanza region including MP’s Nicholas Gumbo (Rarieda), Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem), Oyugi Magwanga (Kasipul Kabondo) and Martin Ogindo (Rangwe).
They accused him of being used by G7 alliance to block PM Raila Odinga from the Presidency next year. “Tuju is not a reformist and has never been known to fight for democracy and therefore lacks the credentials required for a President,” said Gumbo. He said Kenya needs a personality who can steer it through the new political dispensation as the President.
He however, said everybody has a democratic right to vie for any position in the country but warned Tuju that if his intention is to scuttle Raila’s votes then he will be in for a rude shock next year. “If those are his plans then we can only be seeing a man taking a very expensive route to a bitter painful disappointment", added the MP.
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