Luhya elders plan to meet the three Cord co-principals over the general election.
Luhya Elders’ Forum chairman Patrick Wangamati said they want to emphasise to Raila Odinga (ODM), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper) and Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya) the need for them to hold together to win the presidency.
“We have already written to Raila requesting the meeting and left the rest to Wetang’ula to coordinate. We shall then meet Luo, Kisii, Kuria and Teso elders to chart the way forward as the communities in the former colonial North Kavirondo district ahead of the polls,” he told the Star on the phone yesterday.
But Western Elders’ Council chairman Philip Masinde dismissed the planned meeting as aimed at advancing a tribal agenda.
“Wangamati is a Cord member and cannot be talking on behalf of Western, which also has Sabots and Tesos. Besides, there are people supporting other parties. Where do you leave them?” he said.
Western and Nyanza have an estimated more than five million votes. Wangamati’s team campaigned against ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi in 2013 in favour of Raila.
Wangamati was subsequently nominated to Parliament by Ford Kenya, a Cord affiliate.
Chasing political favours
Unlike the Luo elders who have absolute say in the political direction of the community, the Luhya Elders’ Forum has recently been criticised by some elected leaders for “chasing political favours” from presidential candidates.
Opposition unity talk has taken centre stage as the safest route to removing Jubilee from power.
Mudavadi is pushing for the National Super Alliance to present a formidable presidential team to battle it out with Jubilee.
There is an estimated four million voters in Western. Nyanza has an estimated 2.5 million votes from the Luo, Kisii and Kuria communities.
Media analyst Martin Andati said Raila has always thrived on the combined vote bloc of Luos and Luhyas.
“We’re aware Mudavadi is trying to return Luhyas to Raila and this will be resisted because you cannot take a region with close to four million votes to be an appendage of Nyanza, with inferior numbers. We want to create our own identity to bargain for power with others on an equal footing,” he said.
But Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya said the only way a Luhya would ascend to power is by teaming up with Luos.
“Raila is a formidable presidential candidate and we should unite as Luhyas behind him to win the presidency so he can support us when he leaves power,” he said.
Wangamati said Luhya elders plan to launch a major voter education programme through the support of elected and opinion leaders to persuade residents who have attained 18 years and above to register as voters.
New roadmap
They intent to raise the number of registered voters to at least 4.5 million. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission on Wednesday unveiled a new roadmap for the election.
The IEBC plans to recruit, train and deploy staff to the 57,000 registration centres across the country by December 21, to be followed by a month-long mass voter registration.
The voter listing is expected to be a litmus test for President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila.
Raila, Mudavadi and Uhuru are fighting for control of the Western bloc, considered critical in the outcome of the presidential race.