Atwoli's Luhya unity initiative draws mixed reactions

A group of professionals from western region has dismissed the initiative by trade unionist Francis Atwoli seeking to unite Luhya community terming it a waste of time.

The unionist is rallying members of the populous community to vote as a bloc in next year’s polls.

The secretary general of the Western Professionals Platform Prof Stephen Odebero said politicians should stop using harambees and funerals as platforms to discuss important issues affecting the community.

The don who spoke in Kakamega on Wednesday accompanied by Dr Ligabo Machanja, the chairman of the group, said professionals must be involved in the Atwoli campaign.

“The issue of the unity of the people of western is too important to be left to politicians to determine when other key players have been sidelined from the process,” said Prof Odebero.

Senior Luhya politicians last Saturday kicked off a campaign to rally the region to vote for one presidential candidate from the region.

Mr Atwoli brought together Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and MPs Ababu Namwamba (Budalang’i), John Bunyasi (Nambale), Benjamin Andola (Khwisero), Ayub Savula (Lugari) and John Waluke (Sirisia).

Mr Atwoli said the Luhya should not give up hope of the community’s political unity.

(READ: Luhyas seek unity and one presidential candidate)

“We shall not waver at any stage in this campaign despite insults from those who deride the Luhya and are only interested in votes during election time,” said Mr Atwoli.

Mr Atwoli, the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) boss spoke in Khwisero constituency during a funds drive to raise money to buy a bus for Khwisero Girls Secondary School.

But Prof Odebero said the politicians were not serious about the initiative and were only interested in fuelling confusion to derail the process to promote their selfish interests.

“We would like the mama mboga, the boda boda operators and other ordinary residents of the region to be fully consulted and involved in the process if genuine unity of the community is to be realized,” said Prof Odebero.

During the Khwisero meeting, Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba who recently resigned his position as ODM secretary general said a new political awakening was sweeping across the Luhya Nation and politicians involved in schemes to entice voters with money to win support from the region were wasting their time.

“We should press on with this noble initiative to unite Luhyas so that the community can earn the respect of those who deride us by referring to the community as cooks and watchmen,” said Mr Namwamba.

However, an ally of Mr Atwoli has said that the unionist has the community’s best interests in his drive.

Mr Moses Nandalwe, who is eyeing the Sirisia constituency seat, speaking in Nairobi, said that Mr Atwoli was not favouring any candidate and that he hoped all presidential aspirants from the community would join hands and campaign as a team and support one whom they will front.

Mr Nandalwe, said Mr Atwoli was against infighting among the leadership of the community as he believed all aspirants were important and vital to the position of the community in Kenya’s politics.