Mudavadi campaign team change tack
to overcome ODM influence
Mudavadi
campaign team change tack to overcome ODM influence
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Updated 5 hrs 6 mins ago
By PETER ATSIAYA
Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi has
introduced new political strategies to market his United Democratic Forum party
and presidential bid in western Kenya.
Mudavadi seems to have realised out-staging ODM
in his backyard would not be effective with political rallies. He has now
resorted to meet-the-people tours to sell his party and himself as a favourable
presidential candidate.
Key leaders in the DPM’s campaign committee, led
by Housing Minister Soita Shitanda, Ikolomani MP Boni Khalwale, Assistant
minister George Khaniri and former Trade Minister Mukhisa Kituyi, say the new
strategy has “messed up” ODM and Mudavadi’s opponents.
New kid in town
“We decided to go deep to the voters and sell our party and candidate and shed off ODM popularity,” said Dr Khalwale.
The Sabatia MP has toured Bungoma, Busia, Vihiga and Teso region where he received overwhelming support.
“We decided to go deep to the voters and sell our party and candidate and shed off ODM popularity,” said Dr Khalwale.
The Sabatia MP has toured Bungoma, Busia, Vihiga and Teso region where he received overwhelming support.
Said Dr Kituyi: “UDF is a new party in the
region and has no structures on the ground. That is why we decided to meet the
people in villages and markets, as we seek to strengthen the party’s base on
the ground.”
Mudavadi, who seemed impressed with the
reception he received from supporters at various market centres in Teso,
said Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his ODM party should forget the Western
region’s support.
The Youth support
“If Raila is still banking on votes from Western, I want to tell him sorry because UDF is the new kid on the block,” said Mudavadi.
His host in Teso, Vincent Sidai, who is gunning for the county’s governor seat, said Mudavadi had turned tables on ODM in the vote-rich region.
“If Raila is still banking on votes from Western, I want to tell him sorry because UDF is the new kid on the block,” said Mudavadi.
His host in Teso, Vincent Sidai, who is gunning for the county’s governor seat, said Mudavadi had turned tables on ODM in the vote-rich region.
However, Raila’s decision to appoint youthful
Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba as his point man in the region, replacing Mudavadi
who broke ranks with the PM months ago, has earned the premier support among
youths.
Although Namwamba has not done much to show he
can fit in Mudavadi’s shoes, ODM supporters believe the young politician can
use his eloquence and appeal among the youth to counter the Mudavadi wave in
the region.
“Mudavadi is not going anywhere with his UDF
party. Majority of residents of Western stand by Raila in the battle for State
House,” said Namwamba.
He claimed Mudavadi was being misled by the
likes of Khalwale, Shitanda and Kituyi, “who want to ride on his influence to
win the governor and senator seats”.
“Khalwale told me he was only interested in
using Mudavadi to win the Kakamega County Senator’s seat,” said Namwamba.
Wamalwa factor
Planning minister Wycliffe Oparanya, who is one of Raila’s ally in the region, says they are not worried by the “so-called Mudavadi wave”. “This is politics and we are ready to deal with UDF and deliver votes for Raila because the PM has goodwill in the region,” said the minister and MP for Butere.
Planning minister Wycliffe Oparanya, who is one of Raila’s ally in the region, says they are not worried by the “so-called Mudavadi wave”. “This is politics and we are ready to deal with UDF and deliver votes for Raila because the PM has goodwill in the region,” said the minister and MP for Butere.
However, as Mudavadi steps up campaigns in the
region, he still has a task of dealing with the Eugene Wamalwa factor,
especially in Bungoma County. Wamalwa got a boost when he recently took over
New Ford-Kenya, rebranded it and announced the party would be his vehicle to
State House.
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