Western
leaders in new political unity drive
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Updated 1 hrs 53 mins
ago
By
Robert Wanyonyi
Three Cabinet ministers
and four MPs from Western Province launched a fresh drive to unite the Luhya
community ahead of elections.
Trade Minister Moses
Wetang’ula, Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Eugene Wamalwa and
Forestry Minister Dr Noah Wekesa vowed to endorse a single presidential
candidate from the region and said efforts to unite the community are
unstoppable because other regions are doing the same.
The leaders who spoke at the burial of Bukusu
spiritual leader, John Manguliechi in Kimilili in Bungoma County, also resolved
to enjoin other leaders from other parts of the country in a national unity
initiative to avoid violence like after 2007 polls.
Wetang’ula castigated Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi for
playing lone-ranger style of politics and warned the Sabatia MP that he risked
being sidelined.
team work
“Let my brother Mudavadi not try to talk to me alone or Wamalwa or
Jirongo individually because that will be wasting precious time. We want to
talk and walk as a family, as a community and as a team,” said Wetang’ula.
He warned that Mudavadi who is gunning for the presidency on a
United Democratic Front ticket and his allies from the region face political
oblivion if they fail to join the bandwagon.
Wekesa announced that he’s leading the unity initiative together
with fellow minister Fred Gumo and Bumula MP Bifwoli Wakoli.
“I want to particularly thank my colleague Fred Gumo because even
if he’s across the other political divide (ODM), he has been fully involved in
our community’s unity initiative,” revealed Wekesa.
Wakoli announced he has been holding meetings with Wetang’ula and
Wamalwa that saw the two ministers bury the hatchet during the burial of the
spiritual leader.
“I want to warn those presidential candidates from other regions
who thought they could cling on either me, Wetang’ula, Wamalwa or Jirongo in
order to get the votes of the Luhya people to forget it because we have
resolved to support one of us and go all the way to the ballot,” said the Lands
Assistant Minister.
Raila’s hand
Jirongo, Kimilili MP Dr Eseli Simiyu and PNU
nominated MP Musikari Kombo all hinted that the two Ford parties, Ford-Kenya
and New-Kenya will be collapsed into one single political party ahead of the
elections.
The Lugari MP who has differed with Eldoret North MP William Ruto
in the United Republican Party announced that himself and Nambale MP Chris
Okemo would soon cross over to join the new political outfit that will be
formed after the final re-unification of Ford-Kenya and New Ford-Kenya parties.
Wamalwa who recently took over New Ford-Kenya, a party on which he
has been endorsed to run for the presidency said that he’s ready to go by any
decision regarding who will carry the presidential flag after the completion of
the talks.
However, political analysts
were left wondering regarding the involvement of Gumo who many view as too
close to Prime-Minister Raila Odinga.
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