Western Azimio aspirants to agree on tickets

All aspirants for elective seats in Western are converging converge in Kakamega Monday to strategise on  how to conduct primaries without friction and falling out. 

The aim is to agree on a method of nominations to avoid dissatisfaction.

ODM says consensus is favoured. Sources said some direct tickets will be issued. One MP said Raila personally promised them tickets, n the presence of the party elections board, sources said..

The aspirants are drawn from ODM, the Democratic Action Party (DAP-K) and other parties supporting Azimio La Umoja headed by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, Vihiga and Trans Nzoia counties.

The meeting will bring together aspirants for MCA, MP, woman  representative, senator and governor seats on the Azimio ticket.

During the Azimio meeting at Golf Hotel in Kakamega on Monday last week ODM deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya said that the meeting will discuss the mode of nominations. He said the party prefers consensus.

“A small committee will be formed to assist in hammering out consensus among aspirants. We don’t want to fight against each other,” Oparanya said.

“The chairman of the committee will be a neutral person to ensure fairness,” he said.

The joint discussion is meant to avoid unhealthy internal competition that could cost the formation seats and forestal fallouts after primaries.

Speaking during the Azimio rally in Bungoma on Friday, DAP-K party leader and Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi said the party expects fair nominations.

“We don’t expect to see the usual mischief during party nominationS. We want deserving aspirants to be given  tickets,” he said.

Azimio is building momentum to in Western to neutralise the influence of ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang’ula after they joined DP William Ruto in the Kenya Kwanza Alliance on January 23.

Western leaders leaning towards Azimio have accused Musalia and Wetang’ula of betraying the Luhya community by joining Ruto’s camp.

Azimio has planned rallies across the five counties in the region to neutralise Musalia and Wetang’ula.

Oparanya who is Kakamega governor and Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa are leading the onslaught against Musalia and Wetang’ula in the region.

Wamunyinyi said in a statement on Friday that talks were underway for Azimio to field a single candidate against Wetang’ula to end his political career.

Sources told the Star ODM had agreed to issue direct nominations to MPs Titus Khamala (Lurambi), Christopher Aseka (Khwisero), Bernard Shinali (Ikolomani), Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo) and Elsie Muhanda (Kakamega Woman MP).

“We were called by (Raila) in the presence of the party elections board officials and he assured us that we will be receiving our tickets this February,”one of the MPs said.

Wamunyinyi and Wamalwa said Musalia and Wetang’ula have been obstacles to Luhya leadership.

“We are very grateful to DP Ruto for taking away the two obstacles from the community,” they said.

(Edited by V. Graham)