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ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi has been told to stop attacking Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli over his stance on 2022 succession politics.
Nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi and former MCA Ben Ombima on Wednesday said Mudavadi should be the last person to attack Atwoli, considering the massive political support he has received from him.
While campaigning in Kibra for ANC candidate Eliud Owalo on Monday, Mudavadi said Atwoli is focusing on 2022 succession politics and not talking about that of Cotu. He also said workers are still suffering.
Speaking to the Star on the phone, Ombima said Atwoli has the right to support a candidate of his choice for any political seat. He told Mudavadi to stop "biting the hand that feeds" him.
“He is forgetting that it was Atwoli who supported leaders elected on ANC party,” Ombima said.
Ombima said Atwoli has been at the forefront in championing the workers’ rights in the country. “As we speak, he is in Geneva, Switzerland, on matters of workers,” he said.
He told the ANC leader to stop "baseless" attacks on Atwoli and ODM leader Raila Odinga just to please his new political master.
Ombima said Atwolirallied leaders and elders and installed Mudavadi as a Luhya spokesperson.
“It is very unfortunate that Mudavadi is attacking a respected elder who has been supporting his political career," he added.
Osotsi said Atwoli is a respectable Luyha elder, and he should be treated with dignity.
He said Atwoli in 2016 spent his money to host a meeting in Kakamega, where Mudavadi was declared Luhya community spokesperson. Osotsi said the move boosted Mudavadi's political status in the country.
“When we had a problem with his appearance at Uhuru Park that damaged him politically, it was Atwoli who intervened. This is after he mobilised elders and leaders at his home in Khwisero," he said on the phone.
He said Mudavadi has gained a lot from Atwoli. "I can tell you that most of the ANC MPs were elected because of Atwoli's political support.
Osotsi told Mudavadi that politics cannot be driven by anger because he will need those he is attacking at some point.
Ombima further said governors Alfred Mutua (Machakos), Charity Ngilu (Kitui), Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga), James Ongwae (Kisii) and Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni) have a democratic right to support a candidate of their choice.
The county bosses on Sunday joined Raila at Kibra to drum up support for ODM’s Bernard Okoth. Ombima said Mudavadi has no moral authority to dictate to the governors on the candidate to support for the Kibra seat.
