Mudavadi, Wetang’ula hatches plot to ward off Ruto’s influence in Western
Mudavadi, Wetang’ula hatches plot to maintain a grip of Western Kenya's influence by warding off Ruto's influence
Mudavadi, Wetang’ula hatches plot to maintain a grip of Western Kenya’s influence by warding off Ruto’s influence.
Against an assault from President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula have devised a new scheme to keep control of Western region politics (UDA).
Now, Mr. Wetang’ula, the leader of the Ford Kenya party, and Mr. Mudavadi, a member of the Amani National Congress (ANC), have banded together against President Ruto’s UDA, which is eager to color the area yellow.
Mr. Mudavadi has been approaching legislators in the region, including those from Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement, in an effort to increase their influence in the region with close to 2.2 million votes (ODM).
Out of the 30 constituencies split across Trans Nzoia, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, and Busia counties, Mr. Odinga’s ODM had the most MPs from the region (15) in the August 9 elections.
Ruto’s UDA had six, Ford Kenya, ANC, and DAP-K five each, Jubilee one, and one independent MP.
In an effort to establish their dominance in the area, Mr. Mudavadi and Mr. Wetang’ula will have the chance to compete against Ruto’s UDA under the Kenya Kwanza Alliance in the Bungoma senate by-election on December 8.
ANC and Ford Kenya have already ganged up against the President’s party, with ANC backing the Ford Kenya candidate Wafula Wakoli against UDA’s Mwambu Mabonga, the former Bumula MP.
Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition is backing former Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi of Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K).
Yesterday, ANC Secretary-General Simon Gikuru told local media that the party stands with Wetang’ula’s Ford Kenya in the by-election.
“We have found it decent and good manners to leave it to Wetang’ula’s team (Ford Kenya) to defend their seat,” Gikuru said.
However, UDA National Chairman Johnson Muthama dared their opponents to meet them at the ballot, saying the people of Bungoma will make their decision.
Muthama said UDA has already made inroads in the Western region, adding that they have a right to field candidates there because of their popularity.
“If we had no support, there is no way we would even allow our candidate to stand,” Muthama said.
Even though party officials insist the battle for the control of the region is a “friendly match,” campaign utterances by various senior coalition members have depicted otherwise.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale told off Wetang’ula against fronting a candidate in the by-election.
“We members of UDA are the ones who mobilized at least 145 UDA MPs to ensure Wetang’ula was elected Speaker because Ford Kenya only has just about five MPs. Five people cannot make you Speaker and that’s why we are telling you to leave the Senate seat for the people of Bungoma to decide,” Khalwale said.
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