The battle for the control of the Luhya vote has begun in earnest with Kenya Kwanza Coalition, Azimio La Umoja movement and One Kenya Alliance crisscrossing the region.
The leading lights of the three groupings are set to camp in Western this weekend to sell their agenda to the people.
While the Azimio team will hold a rally in Busia town, the Kenya Kwanza grouping led by Deputy president William Ruto will hold a rally in Kakamega town.
The Kenya Kwanza team has camped in Western Kenya this week with rallies in Vihiga, Busia, Kakamega and Kisii and Nyamira.
The tours were the formation’s first tours of the region since the partnership between Ruto’s UDA, Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC and Moses Wetang’ula’s Ford Kenya.
They have used the meetings to explain themselves to their supporters on why they chose to work together.
The grouping has been attracting huge ecstatic crowds in the region, a pointer of acceptance of the partnership by the three leaders.
The more bold Mudavadi also appears to excite the ground who feel he has been too soft but is now coming out as a man of his own.
The Kenya Kwanza is expected to unveil a number of defectors from ODM and other parties including Prof Stanley Khainga as the Lurambi ANC parliamentary aspirant after Bishop Titus Khamala shifted to Azimio in a wave of defections that hit the party.
Azimio team in Western led by Kakamega governor and ODM deputy leader Wycliffe Oparanya, DAP-K leader Wafula Wamunyinyi and Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa has been holding town hall like gatherings to strategise how to market Raila in the region.
Azimio has adopted a multi pronged where ODM and DAP have both trained their guns at ANC and Ford Kenya to neutralise their influence in the region after the two decided to team up with Ruto.
Part of the strategy was to instigate defections from the two parties in recent weeks that have left them limping and weakened their negotiating strength in their new found home.
Oka principals Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Gideon Moi (KANU), Cyrus Jirongo (United Democratic Party) and Martha Kaura’s Narc Kenya will also be in Western for rallies on Saturday.
UDP leader Cyrus Jirongo will hold rallies at Pan-paper grounds and Nasianda primary in Lugari constituency.
The rush to control the Western vote bloc attests the significance the bloc has to national leadership.
The region has traditionally backed Raila in past elections in partnership with Mudavadi and Wetang’ula.
The three leaders now have to fight for their shares of the region vote with Mudavadi and Wetang’ula teaming against Raila.
-Edited by SKanyara
