Raila targets Mudavadi

By Peter Atsiay

As Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi struggles to get Western leaders to back him, another political predator prepares to strike at the heart of his presidential bid.

From Thursday, Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who fell out with Mudavadi, has planned a series of rallies in western Kenya just as the United Democratic Forum aspirant readies for a second round of unity talks will begin traversing the region.

Already lined up on the PM’s diary are over ten rallies and roadside addresses. Interestingly, on Thursday both aspirants will be in Bungoma for prayer meetings then Mudavadi will return to Nairobi, as the PM pans out his campaign teams across the vote-rich province.

Raila heads to Western under a cloud of speculation about where his talks with United Republican Party aspirant William Ruto, are headed. This follows Wednesday statement by Ruto, who has conceded meeting Raila, in Narok to the effect that he would no reunite with Raila.

Speaking against the backdrop of resistance against the talks by some of his allies in the Rift Valley, Ruto declared: “I am not entering into a coalition with Raila. I was in the ODM Pentagon and I know the party well. I have moved on.”

The Eldoret North MP was in Narok South, a week after he toured Coast Province.

Meanwhile, Vice-President Kalonzo took his campaigns to Turkana, as of?cials of Uhuru Kenyatta’s The National Alliance, met those aspiring to run on the party ticket at TNA headquarters in Nairobi. Uhuru’s campaign team is expected to head to Upper Eastern for campaign rallies in Embu, Meru, and Isiolo over the next three days.

But it is Raila’s tour of Western that will highlight the country’s political diary this weekend, coming just a week after Mudavadi received Webuye MP Alfred Sambu from ODM.

Mudavadi is expected to make another move by taking former Finance Minister Chris Okemo, also from ODM.

Other MPs said to be on the target  list of the former Local Government minister include Assistant minister Bifwoli Wakoli, Wilber Ottichilo, Evans Akhula, David Were, and former MP Kanduyi Wafula Wamunyinyi.

MPs allied to Mudavadi in the region claim the PM was prompted to tour the region over fear that the bid set off by Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli to get the Luhya aspirants to compromise on one candidate, would threaten the support he still enjoys in the region.

“Raila has been confortable when the region was producing several presidential candidates because he believed that he would cash in on the division to get support,” said Ikolomani Bonny Khalwale, who backs Mudavadi.

Kept off

He added: “Now that leaders from the region have started talks that would see presidential aspirants from the region unite behind one of them, he is shivering.”

Atwoli held talks with three Western presidential aspirants – Mudavadi, Moses Wetangula (Ford-Kenya) and Cyrus Jirongo (Federal Party of Kenya) – at Mara Serena Lodge in Narok County, but Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa kept off. The talks are said to be favouring Mudavadi, but the presidential aspirants have denied they were persuaded to step down in favour of the Sabatia MP.

Mudavadi’s departure from ODM to UDF and his candidature for presidency are seen to have jolted ODM’s regional support. Raila would want to use the campaigns to ?ght off UDF in?uence, as he tussles with Mudavadi for the region’s votes ahead of the March 4 General Election.

According to campaign programme released to the media yesterday, the PM holds a leaders’ meeting Thursday in Cheptais, Mount Elgon, at 10am. The constituency has a signi?cant Luhya community he is wooing.

He would later have lunch with elders at Lukusi before travelling to Webuye where he will address a rally at Muliro Gardens.

On Friday, he will address a public rally at PanPaper Grounds in Jirongo’s Lugari constituency. The PM would then conduct a meet-the-people tour of Malava, Navakholo, Shianda, Sabatia, and then end up in Bukura for a homecoming party for ODM councillor picked in the September 17 by-election, Rueben Nyangweso.

Khalwale argued Raila was free to campaign in the region, but said he should not be misled that a few leaders around him still call the shots.

“Communities in Western have decided their choice is UDF and Mudavadi their presidential candidate. Raila should accept this. Things have changed,” said Khalwale.

But Raila’s allies in Bungoma County led by Internal Security Assistant minister Alfred Khangati said preparation for the tour were complete, adding, “PM was still the people’s choice and not Mudavadi”.

Those who think Raila is not popular should watch how he would be received. It is not a secret the PM commands more support here than Mudavadi,” said Khangati.

Former Bungoma mayor Henry Majimbo Okumu explained they have done their groundwork well and Raila’s detractors would be stunned by the support he would receive.

“Opinion polls results released recently were clear that Raila beats Mudavadi in popularity in Western. This is a fact,” said Okumu.

“The battle has started and soon it would be clear that Raila has the muscles to wrestle Mudavadi,” he  went on.  Kakamega County Council chairman John Simakha argued it was too late for ODM to dislodge UDF in the area.

 “Where we have reached, Raila cannot beat Mudavadi in Western. He can campaign here as many times, but the fact is voters are supporting Mudavadi and UDF,” he claimed.

Meet-the-people tour

Housing Minister Soita Shitanda, who backs Mudavadi, said Raila was free to campaign in his Malava constituency.

“Let him go to Malava Market, recite his riddles, then go,’’ he retorted.  “Days when residents of Western Province were excited by Raila’s visits are long gone. He has no votes in Western,’’ claimed the minister.

Vihiga MP Yusuf Chanzu said Raila would not change the stand residents have taken, adding that they would support Mudavadi.

Raila capitalised on the support he has been enjoying from Busia County to reward the region with an additional ministerial post in the recent reshuf?es and probably he deems it secured. It is not in his diary of his visit to Western.