Unity of Luhya leaders edges closer

Opposition leaders (from left) Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetang'ula and Bonny Khalwale at the unveiling of National Super Alliance at Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi on January 11, 2017. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Mudavadi, the Amani National Congress leader, and Mr Wetang’ula, the Ford-Kenya leader, met on Monday at a Karen hotel in Nairobi to sort out the differences which have marked their relations.

  • Though the two had vowed to work together at a Bomas meeting where the Opposition swore to stay united, there were still fears that the two could grind to a bitter fallout and split the populous Western Kenya vote.

The much sought-after unity of Luhya leaders edged closer on Tuesday after the western region’s political bigwigs Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula agreed to hold joint rallies in their backyard to push for an opposition super alliance ahead of the August General election.

Mr Mudavadi, the Amani National Congress (ANC) leader, and Mr Wetang’ula, the Ford-Kenya leader, met on Monday at a Karen hotel in Nairobi to sort out the differences which have marked their relations.

Though the two had vowed to work together at a Bomas meeting where the Opposition swore to stay united, there were still fears that the two could grind to a bitter fallout and split the populous Western Kenya vote.

On Tuesday, they said that they were brought together by the interests of the region and will work to ensure that the united opposition alliance wins the next election.

“Politics is the art of possibility and I met my brother in that spirit. We are alive to the fact that we are leaders of a community that wants to see us united and staking for political power at the national level,” said Mr Mudavadi on phone.

The ANC leader said they will tour the region to unite people because their target was to defeat the Jubilee administration “which has been hoodwinking our people”.

Mr Wetang’ula, who is the Bungoma senator, said they met to talk about Luhya unity and agreed to stick in the Opposition and campaign on the platform of a united team.

'RIGHT DIRECTION'

“We are headed in the right direction. Our interests are one and our target is one—remain in a united opposition and get Jubilee out of power. We will hold rallies in the region together even though we appreciate the fact that we have four presidential candidates among us,” he said on phone.

Mr Wetang’ula and his deputy Boni Khalwale had rubbished the coronation of Mr Mudavadi as the Luhya spokesman.

They said that the event sponsored by trade unionist Francis Atwoli was taking the community back to the olden days, with Mr Wetang’ula saying that such a person is not installed but rather emerges on their own.

And just a day after the Bomas meeting, Mr Wetang’ula rocked the Opposition unity boat again when he insisted that Ford-Kenya would remain in Cord. He said that there was no agreement on the formation of the Mr Mudavadi-backed National Super Alliance (Nasa).

On Tuesday, Dr Khalwale said: “The agenda of the meeting was to debunk the myth that there are differences between the two as well as to reaffirm the opposition unity we pledged at Bomas”.

In the Bomas meeting, opposition chief Raila Odinga was forced to make Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetang’ula stand and hold hands in what he said was the "Mulembe Declaration".

It is feared that should Mr Mudavadi be favoured in the new lineup at the expense of Mr Wetang’ula, the fiercely sought Luhya unity will still remain a pipe dream and with it, the split of the estimated two million Western Kenya votes.

CONSOLIDATE VOTE

The Opposition is seeking to consolidate the Western vote amid a spirited attempt by Jubilee to make inroads at the populous region.

And though it was not clear if the lunch meeting at Karen led to any agreement on the Nasa debate, Dr Khalwale said that it will go a long way to “ease the minds of those who thought we are divided.”

ANC secretary-general Godfrey Osotsi said that the two leaders will soon roll out joint rallies.

“When he was crowned as the Luhya spokesman, Mudavadi promised to go out of his way and talk to these people. He is committed to the opposition unity,” said Mr Osotsi.

He said: “The joint rallies will be to further cement the bigger agenda of opposition unity”.

The two Western Kenya leaders are battling it out with Mr Odinga and Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka for the joint opposition ticket in bid to defeat President Kenyatta in the August 8 polls.

The leaders have vowed to push a united Western Kenya front against a well-oiled Jubilee campaign spearheaded by Deputy President William Ruto, who has made tens of trips to woo the region to the ruling party’s fold and along with it, at least nine leaders including Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka.