Calls for Musalia Mudavadi to return home intensify

Calls for Musalia Mudavadi to return to the vote-rich Luhya region following his long absence escalated at the weekend with two UDF senators accusing him of merely sending emissaries.

Speaking separately in Vihiga, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and his Vihiga counterpart George Khaniri wondered why Mr Mudavadi had stayed away, opting instead to send representatives to deliver messages at public events like funerals on his behalf.

Speaking at a funeral service held in Majengo on Saturday, Dr Khalwale said: “Mr Mudavadi should not send statements to be read in funerals. Statements don’t look for votes.

“He has to come around by himself to engage with the people and talk to them and look for votes by himself, not sending statements.”

Mr Mudavadi had sent a representative to the burial of Gerrishom Kabaji, the father of Prof Igara Kabaji of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, to deliver his written statement.

And while speaking at Senende High School during an annual general meeting, a defiant Mr Khaniri stood by the remarks he made two weeks ago that the Amani Coalition leader was a “political absentee”.

Mr Khaniri reiterated that Mr Mudavadi cannot clinch the country’s top seat by “just sitting and relaxing in Nairobi”.

“I told Mr Mudavadi he should fight for the top seat by constantly engaging the voters,” he said, wondering why his message was wrongly interpreted to mean that he was fighting the immediate former UDF leader.

He warned Mr Mudavadi that he only had one last chance at the presidency during the 2017 polls after which he would take over from him in the 2022 presidential race.

TWO CAMPS

The one month political standoff between Mr Mudavadi and the Vihiga Senator has divided into two camps the 25 members of the county assembly (MCAs) allied to the UDF party, with one camp supporting the former and the other the latter.

Dr Khalwale, however, asked Mr Mudavdi to stop attacking his Senate colleague for advising him politically.

Mr Mudavadi’s camp is led by UDF county chairman and Shiru ward representative Nixon Butiya while the Khaniri camp is under the leadership of deputy speaker and ward representative of Shamakhokho, which borders Shiru ward, Richard Muhiga.

Whereas Mr Butiya’s camp of some 15 county legislators has not directly attacked Mr Khaniri for his remarks, Mr Khaniri’s camp maintains that the senator meant well and has asked the two leaders to make a public appearances to cool temperatures.

HOME TURF

During separate press briefings, Mr Butiya asked Mr Mudavadi to consolidate his presidential vote from other parts of the country as his Vihiga team takes care of the region’s vote “on his behalf”.

“We support efforts by Mr Mudavadi to rebrand UDF in time for the 2017 vote. We support his leadership style as he goes round the country to sell his presidential bid. We shall take care of the home turf,” said Mr Butiya.

In an indirect reference to Mr Khaniri, Mr Butiya said: “We call on all the Vihiga leaders to support Mr Mudavadi. Any leader who has trouble with him (Mudavadi) should return home and do more consultations with the people.”

When asked whether his sentiments were a gesture that his camp was calling on Mr Khaniri to support Mr Mudavadi, Mr Butiya said: “Khaniri has not said he has left the party that sponsored him to the Senate. If he has left, tell him to return home.”

During the briefing held at Majengo, Mr Butiya was joined by the UDF secretary-general Nathan Kamidi (nominated), UDF organising secretary Andrew Ahuga (North Maragoili ward), Wycliffe Masini (Mungoma ward and majority whip) and majority leader David Ogova (Sabatia West), among others.

As a sign that Mr Mudavadi’s camp has already begun warming to the Amani National Congress (ANC), Mr Ahuga said, “ANC is a national party. We are asking grassroot leaders to support the party because the presidential race has already begun.”