Ford parties fight over Wamalwa memorial

What you need to know:

  • Ford-K leaders indicated that they would boycott the memorial service as they had been “kept in the dark” over the event by their rivals.
  • New Ford-K officials, however, said they would not be worried by any action by their rivals.
  • The move is set to deepen the rivalry between Ford-K and New Ford-K, which is led by the former vice-president’s brother, Mr Eugene Wamalwa.

New Ford Kenya leaders in Trans Nzoia have told off their Ford Kenya counterparts over plans to boycott former Vice-President Michael Kijana Wamalwa’s 11th memorial service.
The event is scheduled for Kitale on Saturday.

“We cannot reduce Wamalwa’s memorial service to a political party affair yet he died while in office as this country’s vice-president,” said county assembly Majority leader Alfred Weswa.
Mr Weswa said the planned boycott by Ford-K leaders showed their opposition to efforts to achieve unity among the Luhya.

“It is now clear who is not for our unity because this is a time when we are supposed to put aside our differences and come together to celebrate our fallen hero,” said Mr Weswa, who is also the Sirende ward representative.

Ford-K leaders indicated that they would boycott the memorial service as they had been “kept in the dark” over the event by their rivals.

Area Ford-K organising secretary Ken Wafula said the action would be a show of their disappointment for being left out of the preparations.

PARALLEL SERVICES

“We have been kept in the dark by our competitors yet Wamalwa was buried with our party flag,” said Mr Wafula.

“Ford-K will hold parallel memorial services from next year to avoid any disappointments that come as a result of selectivity,” he added.

New Ford-K officials, however, said they would not be worried by any action by their rivals.

The move is set to deepen the rivalry between Ford-K and New Ford-K, which is led by the former vice-president’s brother, Mr Eugene Wamalwa.