WAMALWA THREAT

Raila Odinga heads to Western Province Friday to consolidate his support ahead of the controversial Simama Kenya rally set for Bungoma on Sunday.

Organisers of the PM’s visit to Kakamega said he would preside over the ODM’s delegates conference to be held at the Golf Hotel.

Mr Odinga held a similar meeting for Nyanza Province party delegates at Homa Bay town last weekend to help forge the party’s unity.

The PM’s spokesman Mr Dennis Onyango confirmed said that Mr Odinga will be in his close ally, Musalia Mudavadi, stronghold.

"Yes, we are going to Kakamega," said Mr Onyango.

A member of the Western Kenya Elders Advisory Council, Mr Lucas Watta, who is involved in organising the conference said they expect members from all the 24 constituencies in the province to attend.

ODM garnered 18 out of the 24 parliamentary seats in the province during the last general election but its grip in the region is being challenged by Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa’s efforts to reinvigorate Ford Kenya, the party that held sway in the region prior to the last general election.

Mr Watta said Mr Odinga’s visit was pre-arranged and that it had nothing to do with the Simama Kenya rally.

The organisers of the Bungoma rally say they will use it to make a major political statement and launch Mr Wamalwa’s 2012 presidential bid.

But Thursday, Mr Watta who is also a Bungoma nominated councillor and a former Rift Valley police boss described Mr Wamalwa’s bid as a pipedream.

“Western Kenya residents are still fully behind Mr Odinga and Mr Mudavadi. We are united and will not fall prey to any attempts to split us. Mr Wamalwa should be careful not to be used by our Central Kenya brothers the way former ministers Mukhisa Kituyi and Elijah Mwangale were and dumped,” Mr Watta said.

He added: “Ford-Kenya chairman Musikari Kombo also failed in his efforts to take Luhyas to wrong route in 2007.”

The elder said Simama Kenya’s slogan Raundi hii siyo mchezo (This time it's no joke) could incite Kenyans to violence as it could be interpreted to mean 2012 elections could still be “rigged” as claimed in 2007.

Mr Odinga met delegates from the 21 constituencies in Coast Province in December to counter an onslaught launched by Agriculture minister William Ruto and Najib Balala (Tourism) over his leadership.

In a show of might, Mr Odinga also led 15 Cabinet ministers and more than 50 MPs in attending a rally at Tononoka Grounds where he announced ODM was still the party to beat in 2012 elections and could not be derailed on its march to State House.

During the Homa Bay meeting, Mr Odinga launched a countrywide drive to galvanise support for the ODM ahead of the 2012 General Election.
He said the move was aimed at reinforcing the party's grassroots support ahead of the next elections.

"The basis of a party is the grassroots and the masses. As a party, we have realised that we must reinforce the foundation. Today we have begun a countrywide programme to meet grassroots leaders and iron out differences," he said.
This round of activity came in the wake of another strategy in which the PM was meeting community elders to boost his grassroots support.

The PM maintained that the party was stronger even in territories that were formerly not friendly.

A recent opinion poll showed that Mr Odinga’s popularity in Central had risen significantly, and overtaken Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta who had been seen as the region’s formidable contender for 2012 elections.

Former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara, one of those perceived to be on Agriculture minister William Ruto's side in a power contest against Mr Odinga was among those who attended the Homa Bay meeting and accused his detractors of painting him as an ODM traitor.

His attendance was, however, seen by political observers as aimed at softening his stance to win support from Mr Odinga ahead of the coming by-election in South Mugirango.