Khalwale hits out at Kombo backers

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale (right) with Amani Coalition leader Musalia Mudavadi during a past event. Dr Khalwale has claimed that Mr Mudavadi was misleading the electorate by asking them to vote for Mr Musikari Kombo of the New Ford Kenya party for the Bungoma Senate seat in the December 19 by-election. PHOTO/FILE.

What you need to know:

  • Dr Khalwale Monday claimed former Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi was misleading the electorate by asking them to vote for Mr Kombo, of the New Ford Kenya party, in the December 19 by-election.
  • The Senator claimed that Mr Kombo was a Jubilee project.
  • He said voters in Bungoma should stand up and overwhelmingly back Mr Wetang’ula.
  • Mr Mudavadi and other UDF leaders have maintained the decision by the Amani Coalition to back Mr Kombo for the Senate seat was in the best interest of the residents of Bungoma.

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has accused a leader in the region of attempting to hoodwink voters in Bungoma to back Mr Musikari Kombo for the Senate seat.

Dr Khalwale Monday claimed former Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi was misleading the electorate by asking them to vote for Mr Kombo, of the New Ford Kenya party, in the December 19 by-election.

The Senator, who parted ways with his UDF party over his decision to support his former counterpart Moses Wetang’ula for the seat, claimed that Mr Kombo was a Jubilee project.

He told Mr Mudavadi that his schemes of attempting to entrench Jubilee in western Kenya would not work.

“We know that the Amani Coalition signed a post-election agreement to work closely with the Jubilee administration, and what is happening in Bungoma is part of the wider scheme to divide the Luhya community,” said Dr Khalwale.

He said voters in Bungoma should stand up and overwhelmingly back Mr Wetang’ula, to send a clear message to Mr Mudavadi and his allies that they would not be swayed by mere political intrigues meant to confuse them.

“The only way we can earn respect as a community is to support Mr Wetang’ula to ensure he recaptures the seat,” said Dr Khalwale.

The Senator who spoke in Kakamega said the Jubilee administration could not be trusted since it had side-lined the Luhya community from government.

Counter-claim

Mr Mudavadi and other UDF leaders have maintained the decision by the Amani Coalition to back Mr Kombo for the Senate seat was in the best interest of the residents of Bungoma.

They said the decision by Dr Khalwale to back Mr Wetang’ula of the rival Cord Coalition was a personal decision and they were not bothered.

But some UDF party officials in Kakamega County are pushing to have Dr Khalwale punished for contradicting the party’s position on the by-election.

Dr Khalwale accused Jubilee of getting rid of all former permanent secretaries from the region who served in the Kibaki administration.

In another facet, the senator called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to consult with former Presidents Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on ways of addressing rising cases of insecurity in the country.

“The killings happening in Moyale and other parts of the country are disturbing and President Kenyatta needs to address the problem urgently,” said senator Khalwale.