Raila Odinga says tribal groups serve no national cause

ODM leader Raila Odinga when he joined students of Opuk Primary School in Bondo in a tree-planting drive on May 27, 2018. He has called for national unity. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart, Mr Moses Wetangula, have vowed to merge their parties to bargain for power.

  • Mr Odinga’s remarks were in response to a section of politicians vouching for a united Luhya front.

  • ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna recently told the Nation in an interview that there is a need for unity for positive things among leaders.

ODM leader Raila Odinga has dismissed tribal groups formed by politicians planning  to use them as political vehicles for elective seats in 2022.

In an apparent reference to the clamour for  Luhya unity, Mr Odinga rubbished such calls and said there is a need to unite all Kenyan tribes.

Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart, Mr Moses Wetangula, have vowed to merge their parties  to bargain for power.

But Mr Odinga said such groupings were ill-motivated. He said profiling the region on a tribal basis will remain a pipe dream unless the populous block works with other communities.

Mr Odinga, who was speaking at Mungatsi Primary School in Nambale, Busia County, at the weekend, noted that the proponents of  the regions’ unity are doing so for  selfish ambitions.

“Kuna wale ambao wanapenda sana kusema siasa ya ukabila. Oh tuungane kama wajaluo, waluhya ndio tuungane na kabila hii....hii ni siasa duni ya pesa nane. There are politicians spearheading tribal politics by calling for the unity of some regions. This is cheap politics that will not help the country move forward,” Mr Odinga warned.

NEW ROLE

In what seemed like a demonstration of  his new role as  “peace ambassador” after signing a unity pact with President Uhuru Kenyatta after the divisive 2017 General Election, Mr Odinga defended Jubilee leaders against criticism by politicians from perceived Opposition zones.

“I see nothing wrong with Senate Speaker (Kenneth Lusaka) and Raphael Tuju (Jubilee Secretary-General) working with Jubilee. Let us engage in politics of reason,” he said.

Mr Odinga’s remarks were in response to a section of politicians vouching for a united Luhya front.

The leaders, including former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, Kakamega Woman Representative Elisie Muhanda and former Embakasi South MP Irshad Sumra, have thrown their weight behind Luhya unity ahead of the 2022 General Election.

“Communities such as the Abagusii, Akamba, Luo, Kalenjin and Kikuyu remain united all through. If you don’t want to be spectators in 2022, then the Luhya community needs to be united so as to be attractive. If Mr Mudavadi and Wetangula find out that Raila is not supporting you, then you have yourselves to blame,”  Mr Khalwale said.

SUPPORTED RAILA

“Organise yourselves, we have supported Raila and there is nothing wrong with us telling him to support one of our own Luhya sons,” he added.

Mrs Muhanda said the community has thrown its weight behind Governor Oparanya to be the its flagbearer in  the 2022 presidential race.

Regional politics has been blamed for the country’s political tribulations. ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna recently told the Nation in an interview that there is a need for unity for positive things among leaders. “People should unite to fight poverty and not to fight others,” he said.

Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetang’ula’s fresh Luhya unity bid started immediately after the latter was ousted as Senate minority leader and replaced with Siaya Senator James Orengo.

During a series of rallies in Vihiga County, the two accused Mr Odinga of “using and dumping the community”.

REPRESENT COMMUNITY

But ODM Secretary for Political Affairs Opiyo Wandayi said “nobody should claim to represent a whole community”.

At the Coast, tension has been simmering after Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi, a close ally of Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, accompanied Deputy President William Ruto to a function.

But on Friday Mr Joho put on a brave face and denied that cracks are emerging in the opposition at the Coast following the deal between President Kenyatta and Mr  Odinga.

Mr Joho, who has been fighting to consolidate the region’s votes as he plans to vie the presidency in 2022, laughed off claims that he had differed with Mr Kingi, who has indicated that he wants to form his own party and vie for the presidency in 2022.