Leaders clash over meeting with President

A political storm has erupted in Western Kenya over the organisation of the national Mashujaa Day celebrations at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega on Saturday. Senior politicians yesterday clashed over the supposed barring of some local leaders from meeting President Uhuru Kenyatta at the Kakamega State Lodge on Friday evening, a day before the ceremony.

The abrupt cancellation of a planned meeting between President Kenyatta and regional leaders is being linked to political jostling and intrigues between Opposition leader Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto.

HECKLE LEADERS

“The politics of the handshake was probably playing out. Claims that there were plans to heckle some leaders on Mashujaa Day could have also led to a change of heart by the Head of State, prompting him to meet only particular leaders,” said a source who attended the State Lodge meeting.

On Sunday, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya told the Nation that the President had wanted to meet only the five governors from the region, “hence those bickering about being barred should stop it”.

NO BLAMES

The governors are Mr Oparanya (Kakamega), Sospeter Ojaamong’ (Busia), Wycliffe Wang’amati (Bungoma), Wilber Ottichilo (Vihiga) and Patrick Khaemba (Trans-Nzoia). The other leaders who met the President included Mr Francis Atwoli, and senators Busia Amos Wako (Busia) and Cleophas Malala (Kakamega)

“They should not blame anybody. If the President says he wants to see so and so, who am I to compel him to meet other people?? After all, he could not meet everybody, that is why he chose to meet their representatives — the governors,” Mr Oparanya said.

PUBLICLY CRITICISED

Some of the leaders have also publicly criticised the Mashujaa Day programme, saying top leaders from the region should have been allowed to speak.

Some leaders were especially irked that Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetang’ula were not allowed to address the gathering.

Mr Mudavadi, through his press secretary, Mr Kibisu Kabatesi, claimed that the event was “stage-managed to lock out local leaders”.

EMBARRASS LEADERS

“There is no use devolving national holidays if the purpose is to lock out and embarrass local leaders. It should be hosted in Nairobi if there is no local content,” Mr Kabatesi said.

Former Kakamega Senator Dr Boni Khalwale, who termed as fake news reports that some leaders had organised to have Mr Odinga heckled during the celebrations, said it was wrong to allow the ODM leader to speak while denying senior local leaders an opportunity to do so.

PRECEDENT SET

“It was a national event, that we know. However, a precedence was set when Kalonzo Musyoka was allowed to speak during the 2016 Mashujaa Day celebrations in Machakos. Why didn’t that happen in Kakamega” he asked.

“If we are not Western region leaders, then Raila is definitely not. A neighbour cannot speak for the owner of the home. The President invited regional leaders and Raila was not one of them. So how did he get a chance to speak at the expense of those invited to represent the locals,” asked Dr Khalwale.

IGNORE THREATS

During the event, only host Governor Oparanya and Mr Odinga were allowed to speak, with Mr Mudavadi, his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang’ula, and Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka only having their presence recognised.

Earlier in the day, Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli had, during a funeral in Homa Bay County attended by Mr Odinga, asked the opposition leader to ignore the threats of heckling at the Mashujaa Day fete.

UNFORTUNATE

Meanwhile, Mr Oparanya said he even turned down a request by DP Ruto to invite Mr Odinga to speak. “After I addressed the gathering, the DP asked me to invite Mr Odinga but based on the programme, I told him I could not. So I told him that if that was in their plan, then he should invite him himself so that it does not put me on a collision with my colleagues,” Mr Oparanya said.

Ford-Kenya Organising Secretary Chris Mandu said it was unfortunate none of the region's leaders was given a chance to speak.

INFORMATION

He denied that Mr Wetang’ula had been denied entry to the Kakamega State Lodge on Friday. “Indeed, Wetang’ula planned to attend the meeting, but we received information that it had been called off,” he said.

The Nation has established that some leaders had trooped to Kakamega to prepare for the meeting but were jolted by the sudden change of heart.

A politician who was to attend the meeting said reports of a looming confrontation between the rival camps could have led to its cancellation.

BAD WEATHER

“There were reports that some politicians were planning to transport youths to Bukhungu stadium to heckle other leaders,” said an MP who spoke to the Nation but requested not to named.

Meanwhile, Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali said the meeting was cancelled due to bad weather. “Heavy rains disrupted plans the meeting but the President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto promised to meet us the next day after the luncheon at State Lodge,” he said Mr Washiali.

But Governor Oparanya said the meeting took place with select leaders from the region, among them the governors.

Additional reporting by Benson Amadala