Monday, January 2, 2012

Luhya elders oppose Mudavadi endorsement



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The Luhya Council of Elders is sharply divided over the recent endorsement of Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi as the community's lone flag bearer in the 2012 presidential race. Last week chairman Patrick Wangamati endorsed Mudavadi in a ceremony at Khachonge in Sirisia sparking protests from elders who said it was an individual's opinion and not the council's stand.
Led by Joseph Wasilwa the elders claim Wangamati endorsed Mudavadi without consulting them, leaving out other presidential hopefuls from the community. They accused Wangamati of selfish interests in endorsing Mudavadi as the sole candidate. They claim the community has other presidential hopefuls including Moses Wetang’ula, Cyrus Jirongo, Eugene Wamalwa, all of whom they said are capable of capturing the seat. “All these are our sons and for an individual to just lock them out in the name of the council of elders is not acceptable,” said Wasilwa
They urged Wangamati to stop using his position as chair of the council of elders for political gain but instead as a unifying factor. “Why should he use the position to get political favours and more so we are aware that he wants to go for the Bungoma governorship race,” posed Wasilwa.
Speaking in Sang’alo during the Bukusu cultural day Bumula MP Wakoli Bifwoli warned the council of elders against endorsing asingle candidate from the community saying this would only divide the community. He advised the elders to first work on bringing all the leaders in the community together. “We will not accept such kinds of endorsements that have no criteria and we all we are saying we will sort it out at the ballo ,” Bifwoli said.
However, a member of the Luhya advisory council of elders Lucas Watta supported Wangamati’s endorsement for Mudavadi, saying he deserves it. “I totally agree with the endorsement because Mudavadi is the most senior politician in the region with experience,” he said. He said as the Deputy Prime Minister Mudavadi is in a better position to stand for the presidency and urged the community to give him total support.
He dismissed other hopefuls in the region saying they were jokers being used by other presidential aspirants as spoilers.

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