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Western leaders reignite calls for Luhya unity

They want Mudavadi and Wetang'ula to lead in readiness for 2027 general election.

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by The Star

Nyanza24 January 2023 - 09:48
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In Summary


  • Both Wetang’ula and Mudavadi are considered the top most Luhya leaders given the position they hold in the Kenya Kwanza government. 
  • Leaders from the region have now agreed to work together regardless of their political persuasions to achieve the much needed unity.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula with Kakamega Woman MP Elsie Muhanda during a fund drive in aid of Lirhembe Friends Church in Ikolomani on Sunday, January 22, 2023.

Elected leaders from Western region have reignited Luhya unity talk to position the community ahead of the 2027 election.

The leaders drawn from across the political divide have been coalescing around Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula to ensure the region gets development projects from the Kenya kwanza government.

Wetang’ula and Mudavadi are considered the top most Luhya leaders given the position they hold in the government. 

Mudavadi held a consultation meeting with a cross section of Luhya elected MPs at Serena Hotel in Nairobi on November 20 last year to chart the way forward after the August 9 polls.

The two leaders have been in different political formations in the past and supported opposition leader Raila Odinga alternately, sometimes being blamed for disunity of the Mulembe community, until they teamed up to support President William Ruto in Kenya Kwanza alliance last year.

They were, however, in Cord and Nasa together, then backing Raila for the presidency. 

Leaders from the region have now agreed to work together regardless of their political persuasions to achieve the much-needed unity, bring development and position the community for future leadership.

Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula said Wetang’ula was number three in the pecking order in government and he is better placed to actualise the grand march that was started by former vice president Kijana Wamalwa to unite the region into one formidable force.

Savula said the Luhya unity train Wamalwa started derailed after some leaders from the region took different directions, leading some into political oblivion.

Kakamega Woman Representative Elsie Muhanda and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula during the fund drive in Ikolomani on Sunday, January 22, 2023.

“As the National Assembly Speaker, we are endorsing you today to revive the Wamalwa unity course, and we are supporting you to continue walking and working together with all Western legislators the way he did,” Savula said during a fundraiser in aid of the Lirhembe Friends Church presided over by Wetang’ula on Sunday.

“The truth is that President William Ruto will rule until 2032, let us not cheat ourselves that we can produce a presidential candidate before then. Even Azimio leader Raila Odinga cannot beat Ruto in 2027 so let us focus on the current government to deliver as we prepare Wetang’ula and Mudavadi for Luhya presidency in 2027.”

The former Lugari MP said that elected leadership will reject anyone out to scuttle the unity plan being spearheaded by Wetang’ula and Mudavadi

Sirisia MP John Waluke, who is the chairman of the Western MPs parliamentary caucus, said he is planning to call all MCAs from county assemblies to market the fresh unity bid in the region.

“We must walk together as a people so that our numerical strength can be felt during elections. This is why we are going to have a meeting with all MCAs and MPs to ensure the unity reverberates in every corner in Western,” he said.

Ikolomani MP Bernard Shinali assured Wetang’ula that he is not on his own in the unity initiative.

“The Speaker is not alone because you are our own asset which we must protect and we assure you that we will walk with you and support your ambitions of bringing our community together so that we can speak in one voice to be respected,” he said.

Shinali said Nyanza leaders came together during Ruto’s tour of the region a week ago because they know the benefits of unity to their people in terms of development.

A section of elected Luhya leaders during a fund drive at Lirhembe Friends Church in Ikolomani on Sunday, January 22, 2023.

He wants Wetang’ula to reach out to former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and former Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa to firm up the unity drive.

The speaker said division among Mulembe leaders has made the region unattractive to other regions in negotiations for sharing the national cake despite its numerical strength.

“Politics is over and we should come together and put our heads together on how we can now deliver to our people and improve their living standards by improving our economy, and this should be done when we are together as a region,” Wetang’ula said. 

“This region has a high population than Nyanza and Rift Valley yet when it comes to us we are so democratic that other regions make good use of their numbers benefiting more than us.  Therefore, we should make sure come next election our numbers count because last election it was Bungoma that tilted the presidency scale.” 

The Ford Kenya leader said divisions in the region will be a thing of the past from now on.

He added that Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties stood with Kenya Kwanza but Kakamega, Vihiga and Busia wavered. 

Wetang'ula said he will traverse the entire region to ensure all votes are in one basket, “because when we unite we become the centre of attraction from other regions and this will make us have a Luhya presidency.”

He said the community must actualise the dream of Wamalwa, Elijah Masinde and Budamba Mudavadi, urging MCAs, women and elders to be the grassroots voice in the unity drive.

 

(edited by Amol Awuor)

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