Amani leader Mudavadi pleads with western Kenya for support

Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi shakes hands with former Msambweni Constituency MP Kassim Bakari Mwamzandi (second left) in Kwale County on December 4, 2015. Mr Mudavadi is at the Coast for a three-day meet the people tour. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The former deputy premier rejected claims that by supporting Mr Kenyatta in 2002, he had abandoned the Luhya community.
  • Mr Mudavadi was responding to calls by western Kenya politicians led by Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale for him to ditch his party and join the Cord coalition.
  • ANC Secretary-General Godfrey Osotsi accused Dr Khalwale of meddling in the party’s affairs despite not being a member.

Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi has appealed to western Kenya to rally behind him in the next General Election.
Mr Mudavadi said in a statement on Saturday that other regions had stood by their people despite losing elections.

He cited the case of President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2002 and Mr Raila Odinga in 2007 and 2013.
He dismissed critics of his unsuccessful campaign in 2002 when he supported Mr Kenyatta of Kanu and his dismal performance in the 2013 presidential election.

LUHYA COMMUNITY
The former deputy premier rejected claims that by supporting Mr Kenyatta in 2002, he had abandoned the Luhya community.
He said if it was sinful to support a candidate from a different community, then most political leaders were guilty of that sin.
“Why should the Luhya stigmatise me for supporting Uhuru Kenyatta in 2002 and not other leaders who have supported central Kenya candidates in the past?” asked Mr Mudavadi.
He described sentiments by some leaders, mainly from the Opposition Cord, that he was a Jubilee project as “cheap propaganda” aimed at tarnishing what he said was his growing political popularity.
“All the other political leaders have supported a Kikuyu or a non-Luhya for the presidency. Jaramogi Oginga vowed that Kenya could not be independent unless Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was released from detention. Oginga was a Luo and Kenyatta was a Kikuyu,” he said.
He also recalled that when multiparty democracy was restored in Kenya in 1992, Ford Asili’s Martin Shikuku supported Mr Mwai Kibaki for the top job.
“Raila Odinga also said ‘Kibaki tosha’ in 2002 while Kijana Wamalwa became his vice president,” he said.

CALLS TO JOIN CORD COALITION
Mr Mudavadi was responding to calls by western Kenya politicians led by Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale for him to ditch his party and join the Cord coalition.
ANC Secretary-General Godfrey Osotsi accused Dr Khalwale of meddling in the party’s affairs despite not being a member.
Mr Osotsi said Dr Khalwale had no moral authority to advise Mr Mudavadi and the ANC on what political path to take.
“What wisdom has he acquired in Cord that makes his think he can tell our party leader what to do?” asked Mr Osotsi yesterday, adding there were signs of panic and desperation in Senator Khalwale’s behaviour.
He said politicians were uneasy with the resurgence of Mr Mudavadi since he registered the ANC and embarked on a mission to win Kenyans’ support ahead of 2017.
“It should not be lost on Dr Khalwale that the UDF that sponsored him to the Senate could be folding up any time to join Jubilee. He should be more worried about his fate rather than that of Mr Mudavadi and the ANC,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Mudavadi is expected to visit Kwale County before presiding over a fundraiser at a Nairobi church today.