• Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang’ula and former UNCTAD boss mukhisa Kituyi have differed sharply on who exactly should lead the luhya unity quest .
• The two differed publicly during the funeral of Peter Watangwa the father political scientist Robert Watangwa held in Matili village Kimilili constituency Bungoma county
Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang’ula and former UNCTAD boss Mukhisa Kituyi have differed sharply on who exactly should lead the Luhya unity quest.
The two differed publicly during the funeral of Peter Watangwa, the father of political scientist Robert Watangwa, held in Matili village, Kimilili constituency, Bungoma county.
While Wetangula invited Kituyi who has declared his quest for presidency to join him and ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi if he wanted to make his candidature realistic, Kituyi dismissed the invitation saying the two were not the only leaders in the community.
“To my brother Kituyi. If you want to walk this journey successfully, don’t walk alone. I invite you to join me and my brother Musalia who are the supremos of the Mulembe community," Wetangula said.
Wetangula further said that they were all first among equals and the one who will convince the others, will automatically get the support of others.
“If either you or Musalia convince me that you are best, I will equivocally support you, but if you are equally convinced that I am the best, you should not have doubts to support me,” Wetangula said.
Wetangula insisted that their unity with Musalia Mudavadi was a unity of purpose and will ensure that the Mulembe community is better placed to lead the country.
But in a quick rejoinder, Kituyi dismissed the calls saying Wetangula and Musalia were not the only leaders in the Luhya community who should be taled to.
“I want to differ with the calls by my brother Wetangula. Him and Musalia are not the only leaders in the Mulembe community. All these leaders who were elected are leaders of this community ,” Mukhisa said.
Mukhisa said after he declared his candidature for presidency he started initiating talks with most of the elected leaders in the region to support him.
“I have been speaking to so many Luhya leaders from across the political divide, " he said.
He, however, said being president of the republic was not necessarily that you become a community king pin saying the country needed a person who could fix economic problems.
Kituyi at the same time said despite the leaders of the Mulembe nation being in different parties, they will end up in one coalition in the next elections.
Senate speaker Kenneth Lusaka emphasized the need for Luhya unity saying other leaders in the community should sacrifice for others.
“It is not a must that it is you. You should be willing to support others if we want to make this Luhya unity quest realistic,” Lusaka said.
Lusaka said working together as community will give the community a better bargaining power and advantages to the residents.