The frequent portrayal of the Luhya community as a divided house whenever elections approach is erroneous, a political scholar has said.
Masinde Muliro University political scientist Frank Matanga said the community is united but its leaders divided because of selfish interests.
In effect, he said, it weakens the community's bargaining power when it comes to the national leadership.
He said whoever wants to bid for national leadership but lacks a solid home base makes the community unattractive for support.
"The fact that ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang'ula have agreed to work together is indicative that the region can work together this time around, " Matanga said.
To solidify this, he said, the region's leadership must drop their personal pursuits and support the elder brothers who have already declared interest in the presidency.
Currently, there are three camps fighting to control the vote-rich region ahead of the 2022 succession race. One camp has Mudavadi working with Wetang’ula.
A second camp has Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa with the backing of Cotu boss Francis Atwoli and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
A third camp is led by former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and Mumias East MP Ben Washiali and is pulling towards Deputy President William Ruto.
Matanga said the Luhya community is largely united but divisions among its leaders portray it as divided.
Former ANC secretary-general Barrack Muluka blamed a lack of focus by professionals from the community.
He said unlike professionals in other communities, Luhya professionals are not interested in how power is acquired.
"It's the professionals who should strategise and mobilise the community to rally behind an agenda but they either asleep or are ignorant and must find a way to get out of their slumber and create opportunities that cascades down to the community," Muluka said.
"When you follow conversations on social media groups you realise we are not capable of holding mature debate and disagreement. You see visceral differences and insults," he added.
Political scientist Robert Watangwa said the lack of a strong political leadership is to blame for the divisions.
"Mudavadi is talking without acting but strong leadership is mirrored in leaders like Raila in Nyanza and Ruto in Rift Valley who have to armrest everybody to play ball," he said.
"That's why you find people like Khalwale, Didmus Barasa, Oparanya and Wamalwa thinking they sway the community in their own direction."
Watangwa said the solution to the division in Western may not be anywhere close "given that Mudavadi does not have resources to compete with the money some of the MPs are receiving from Ruto".
Edited by R.Wamochie
