The decision by former UNCTAD secretary general Mukhisa Kituyi to join Azimio La Umoja Movement has sparked debate on whether he will strengthen ODM leader Raila Odinga's grip on Western.
Raila has been keen to consolidate the vote-rich region after Musalia Mudavadi (ANC) and Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya) abandoned him for Deputy President William Ruto.
Ruto has been making inroads in the region, which Mudavadi and Wetang’ula consider their political turf.
Mukhisa is also from the region and had been nursing presidential ambitions until last week when he declared support for Raila’s candidature.
He also has impressive economic credentials. Between 2002-07, he was Kenya's minister for Trade and Industry
He hails from Bungoma that now has 644,233 voters as compared to 2017's 559,850, a 15.07 per cent increase.
Kituyi is now working closely to lock the region for Raila with other leaders from Western led by DAP-K party leader Wafula Wamunyinyi, Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa, Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli and ODM deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya.
In the 2017 general election, Raila received overwhelming support, arguably due to the support of Mudavadi and Wetang’ula, who were his co-principals in the now-defunct National Super Alliance or Nasa.
But a partnership of UDA, ANC and Ford Kenya will test whether Raila still enjoys a huge following in Western Kenya.
Ruto has the support of Sakwa Bunyasi (Nambale), Malulu Injendi (Malava), Majimbo Kalasinga (Kabuchai), Senator Cleophas Malala (Kakamega), Benjamin Washiali (Mumias East), Didmas Barasa (Kimilili), John Waluke (Sirisia), Mwambu Mabongah (Bumula) and Dan Wanyama (Webuye West), among others.
Political analyst Daniel Orogo said Kituyi’s entry into Azimio does not only tighten Raila’s grip on Western but also cements and consolidates his support in the region.
“Mukhisa is a well known and vastly and experienced politician from Western Kenya. By joining Azimio, he is adding a lot of political impetus to the Raila-led formation,” Orogo explained.
“Additionally, Kituyi’s extensive political network goes beyond Western Kenya far to other regions and international fora.”
Orogo said the presidential contest is shaping up to be a two-horse race and there may not be a winner in the first round.
“Hence, any partnership and collaboration for a broad-based coalition is greatly appreciated. His support, publicity and experience might propel Raila to the top,” he said..
Kimilili MP Didmas Barasa, however, said Kituyi’s move to team up with Azimio la Umoja will not have an impact on Raila’s candidature.
“He has no impact at all. He is a political fossil that cannot be resurrected,” the legislator said.
Barasa added that Kituyi failed to use his influence in the UN to initiate development in the Western region.
“He held a powerful position but he never used the seat to even build a kiosk in Western. If he contests the chairmanship of a cattle dip in Western, a boda boda rider would floor him,” he added.
Aside from Bungoma’s 644,233 voters, Kakamega has 841,139 voters as compared to 2017's 743,736, a 13.10 per cent rise. Vihiga has 304,755 voters, an 11.87 per cent rise from 2017's 272,409.
Bungoma has 644,233 voters as compared to 2017's 559,850, a 15.07 per cent increase.
The move by Kituyi to drop his presidential quest came as a surprise since only weeks earlier, he had announced he will still be on the ballot and was crafting the Sauti ya Wazalendo coalition that he was to use in the polls.
But while accompanying Raila on his tour in Bungoma, Kituyi revealed he had quit the race and was in talks with Raila.
“Over the last three weeks, I have been talking to Baba over the possibility of us working together and I had to complete these talks before the Azimio la Umoja tour of Bungoma,” Kituyi said.
Kituyi added that even as they discussed working together, they agreed that the Deputy President must be stopped from winning the elections.
Kituyi said the common goal within the affiliate parties of the Azimio La Umoja Movement is to ensure Ruto will not scale the heights to the presidency.
“Somebody must be stopped from ever becoming the president of Kenya,” he said.
DAP-K secretary general Eseli Simiyu said the move by Kituyi to join Azimio la Umoja was a boost to Raila’s candidature.
“His move is a boost for Azimio in Western Kenya even though he is with Baba [Raila] on national campaigns,” Eseli said.
His sentiments were shared by DAP-K deputy party leader Ayub Savula, who said Azimio is keen to have as many leaders as possible.
“Any leader from Western who joins Azimio is a plus for us," he said.
Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito said ODM still enjoys support in the region and will want to deny Mudavadi as many votes as possible.
“A lot of leaders from Western region are now with Raila. We are keen to get as many as possible on board,” Kizito said.
Savula was ANC deputy party leader but ditched Mudavadi to join DAP-K in the same position.
Others who left Mudavadi are Matungu MP Peter Nabulindo and Oku Kaunya (Teso North). Khwisero MP Christopher Aseka has been leaning towards ODM. Former National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende has also joined DAP-K.
Wetang’ula lost Wamunyiyi and Eseli.
(Edited by V. Graham)
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