Mukhisa Kituyi has promised to go it alone in the race for the presidency, but political analysts say the budding ANC and Ford Kenya unity could hurt his chances.
Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula and ANC boss Musalia Mudavadi are in talks to field one Luhya candidate in 2022, signalling a united front from the region.
Over the weekend, the former Unctad boss brushed off a call by Wetang’ula to join him and Mudavadi and forge ahead as a unit.
“I invite my brother Mukhisa to join my brother Musalia and myself because if he walks alone he will go nowhere,” Wetang’ula said during a funeral in Kimilili.
Wetang’ula said all the three were first among equals and each should be ready to sacrifice for the other so that the community gets the presidency.
Mukhisa said he was interested in being the president of the country and not tribal chief.
“This country doesn't need a tribal king but a person who is ready to fix the economy and other problems facing it,” Mukhisa said.
Political analysts say it will be very difficult for Mukhisa to make any meaningful impact if he doesn’t have fanatical support from home.
“All politics in this country is local and Mukhisa will go nowhere if he continues dismissing the Luhya unity being advanced by his kinsmen Musalia and Weta,” Isaac Wanjekeche said.
Wanjekeche said Wetang’ula and Musalia have done so well in their Luhya unity quest. If the just concluded Matungu and Kabuchai by elections are anything to go by then it shows that the residents are in agreement with them, he said.
“We all saw how they performed in the just concluded by elections, campaigning for each other and showing the unity of purpose. Mukhisa should read the signs of times that the Mulembe nation really yearns for Luhya unity,” Wanjekeche said.
Political scientist Maurice Marango said Mukhisa is starting a fresh journey when Wetang’ula and Musalia have established substantial grassroots support.
“Mukhisa comes finding his brothers he left behind after going abroad have already taken over the entire estate and he needs to either sit down and negotiate for some share with them or take some share on his own using his own means,” Marango said.
He said Mukhisa will have to work hard to brush off the tag that he is a project of ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Marango said that Kituyi might have an edge if he gets support from disgruntled Ford Kenya members who are opposed to Wetang’ula.
“Such unfolding events might either be speed bumps to his presidential bid by dragging into Ford Kenya internal wars, or give him a head start of supporters locally as he starts his journey” he said.
