• The group under the umbrella of the Bukusu Cultural Council of Elders has claimed that there was no consultation.
• The elders maintained that the Bukusu community and other 17 sub-tribes are fully behind Natembeya
Image: DAVID MUSUNDI
A sharp split among Luhya elders has emerged after one group opposed the endorsement of Ford Kenya Secretary-general Chris Wamalwa for the Trans Nzoia governor seat.
The group under the umbrella of the Bukusu Cultural Council of Elders has claimed that there was no consultation before Wamalwa was endorsed.
The elders said Wamalwa and his Ford Kenya party are hiding behind Kenya Kwanza Alliance to hoodwink the people of Trans Nzoia to give Ford Kenya a new lease of political life.
Speaking to the Star at their Cultural centre at the Kitale Museum, the elders led by their Cultural chairman Peter Masinde rejected the endorsement claiming elders were duped by the MP who had invited them for reconciliation after many years of misunderstanding.
“We are perturbed to hear from the media that a section of Luhya leaders met and endorsed DrWamalwa without our consent and blessings. Mzee Taraja, Wanambisi and Makete are not our spokesmen," Mzee Masinde said.
The cultural leaders argued that the three have no mandate to talk on behalf of the community, warning that those misleading the community will be facing the wrath of the elders.
He said although all politicians running for the governor seat were free to seek blessings from them, youthful politicians shouldn’t use the opportunity to masquerade as the community elders.
“Some of the people we saw on TV purporting to be elders were in fact chased away from camps of other gubernatorial aspirants for mistrust and financial improprieties and shouldn’t be taken seriously," the Chairman said.
The elders maintained that the Bukusu community and other 17 sub-tribes are fully behind former Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya and that they will not change their allegiance.
His sentiments were echoed by Eliud Walukhu, James Nakibongochi and Samuel Nyongesa who said they installed Natembeya as an elder and gave him all blessings which cannot be reversed.
This comes just a day after the Kimini MP held a consultative meeting with elders representing the 18 sub-tribes of the Luhya community in the region to seek their support.
Wamalwa who hosted the elders at his Kananachi home promised to have an all-inclusive government to accommodate all communities in the region if he succeeds Governor Patrick Khaemba in the August 9, general elections.
“I have today held a consultative forum with the Luhya community where I hail from to seek their blessings as I engage other communities in a bid to win the governor race in this county,” he told journalists.
He promised to turn around the region’s economy if he is elected governor with a focus on financing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to promote self-employment by promoting entrepreneurship.
“If I become the governor, I will set up a kitty to issue loans at affordable rates to traders to enable them to achieve their investment goals. This will help in boosting the economy of this county,” he said.
Wamalwa brought the elders up to speed with the political union that saw his party team with the Amani National Congress ANC to form a coalition with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
“We decided not to team up with ODM leader Raila Odinga owing to his betrayal. We believe the Kenya Kwanza Alliance which is committed to forming the next government,” the MP said.
The elders who comprised pastors warned leaders in the community who are allied to the Azimio La Umoja coalition to stop the habit of discrediting Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula and ANC counterpart Mudavadi.
“We are not happy with the habit by some of our leaders who have been tagging Wetang’ula and Mudavadi as traitors or betrayers following their move to team up with Ruto," David Daraja said.