Bungoma set for Simama-Kenya rally today

The much publicised Simama-Kenya rally slated for Bungoma will be held Sunday after being cancelled twice in the past, on security reasons.
It was cancelled on New Year’s eve and again on January 31.

Saboti MP Mr Eugene Wamalwa said plans were complete for the meeting to be attended by President Kibaki’s son Jimmy.

Mr Wamalwa said the committee had provided 12 buses for larger Trans-Nzoia region and two each for the 24 constituencies in Western province to ferry his supporters to the venue.

Meeting

Mr Wamalwa and former MPs Mr Moses Akaranga and Mr Raphael Wanjala held a closed-door meeting with Trans-Nzoia councilors before they joined others in Bungoma for road show.

Mr Wamalwa said they have invited all MPs to attend the rally, which has faced resistance from some Western leaders.

Assistant minister Kabando wa Kabando and other youthful MPs are expected to attend the meeting to be used by Mr Wamalwa to launch his presidential bid.

Political activist Mr Tony Gachoka, who is among those organising the rally said yesterday preparations for the rally were nearly complete.

Mr Wamalwa’s presidential bid suffered a setback of sorts when the family of the Bukusu spiritual leader the late Elijah Masinde denied media reports that they backed him.

Mr Lucas Watta, the family’s spokesman, said they were fully behind Prime Minister Raila Odinga through deputy PM, Mr Musalia Mudavadi.

Mr Wamalwa is facing a daunting task in the battle for the control of Western Province votes as he has to contend with more established politicians in the region. Mr Mudavadi, who is ODM deputy party leader, currently enjoys huge support in the province, where his party scooped 18 out of 24 parliamentary seats in last years elections.

Others from the province eyeing the presidency are Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Moses Wetangula, Lands assistant minister Mr Bifwoli Wakoli and Lugari MP Mr Cyrus Jirongo.

Mr Wamalwa also wants to wrestle the leadership of Ford-Kenya from nominated MP Mr Musikari Kombo, a seat that Mr Wetangula is also eyeing.

The Saboti MP, who is serving his first term in Parliament, intends to use the Ford-K leadership to eat into ODM’s support in Western Province ahead of the 2012 elections.

However, his critics accuse him of being used by the so-called KKK (an acronym of Kamba, Kalenjin Kikuyu) alliance to fight Mr Mudavadi and ODM’s influence in the voter-rich province.