The current push for unity of top Luhya leaders is a disguise to mobilise the region to support President William Ruto’s re-election, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has said.
Osotsi said the clamour by some MPs from the region to push for the unity of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has nothing to do with the community.
“It’s the same narrative Mudavadi and Wetang’ula used in 2022 to hoodwink Luhyas that they were uniting and promised to deliver 30 per cent of government but they never dissolved their parties,” the senator said.
“They have failed to deliver the 30 per cent they promised Luhyas and now they want to divert the community’s attention by mobilising it to vote for President Ruto in 2027 on the premise that he (Ruto) will leave the to seat to one of them in 2032,” he said.
Osotsi, who is ODM deputy party leader, said Luhyas will only buy the unity narrative if it aims to present a candidate in 2027 and not to campaign for Ruto.
Some MPs from Western have been pushing the three to unite and agree on one among them as the community’s flag bearer in future elections.
While attending an event to commission a computer lab and new classrooms at Namasoli Secondary School and Shirotsa Comprehensive School in Khwisero constituency on Friday, MPs Nabii Nabwera (Lugari), Fred Ikana (Shinyalu), Kakai Bisau (Kiminini), John Waluke (Sirisia) and Kakamega Woman Rep Elsie Muhanda asked Mudavadi, Wetang’ula and Oparanya to agree on a single candidate.
They threatened to mobilise the community to make the decision if the three failed to agree.
The MPs rooted for the unity during an interdenominational service attended by the President at Kivaywa in Matete in Lugari on Sunday with Waluke — who chairs the Western MPs caucus— saying the region's unity would enable them bargain for Ruto's running mate in 2027.
"We will all converge with Wetang'ula, Mudavadi, even Eugene Wamalwa in the next two weeks to make sure all our votes are cast in one basket, that is for William Ruto," Waluke said.
Speaking in Khwisero on Friday, Wetang’ula said he was willing to work with both Oparanya and Mudavadi to champion the Luhya community’s political, social and economic development.
He said he had no problem working with the two since they were in opposition together and are now collaborating in government under Kenya Kwanza.
“It’s not the people who are divided. It’s us the leaders. We must take responsibility and come together,” Wetang’ula said.
Oparanya was noncommittal, saying although he was interested in the presidency, he would support to a consensus candidate "if it serves the community’s greater good”.
He however said he was in the broad-based government courtesy of opposition leader Raila Odinga.
But Osotsi said the push is sinister. “I’m wondering how far that will go if Raila is to support Ruto to the end. Where will Kindiki [Kithure] go? How will they surpass ODM?” he posed.
