Win For Ruto as Western Region Falls Apart Further Over Kibra By-elections

Vote-rich western Kenya region has yet again fallen apart despite numerous calls by region’s leaders for long desired luhyia unity.

This follows failure of two political front runners from the region, Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula and Amani National Congress (ANC) boss Musalia Mudavadi, to front one candidate for the Kibra by-election after numerous meetings between the two parties initially agreed to back one candidate.

After Mudavadi’s ANC unveiling former ODM leader Raila Odinga’s aide Eliud Owalo ahead of the upcoming Kibra mini polls, Wetangula went ahead to unveil Engineer Khamisi Butichi to fly Ford Kenya’s flag in Kibra.

In addition, ANC has declared that its leader, Mr Mudavadi, who last year was installed as the Luhya kingpin, does not need any endorsement from any particular leader from the region to vie for the presidency in 2022.

In recent past, the region’s political leaders have been sharply divided along two camps; those supporting Deputy President William Ruto and those backing Mudavadi’s presidential ambitions.

There are those also those who have thrown their support behind the Raila.

DP Ruto has been making numerous trips to the region to sway voters towards his support ahead of 2022 President Uhuru Kenyatta succession race.

Ruto through his trips has been able to win support from a section of leaders who are now working hard to sway voters towards his camp.

The DP is now banking on National Assembly chief whip Ben Washiali, former Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale, former sports cabinet secretary Rashid Echesa, Matungu MP Justus Murunga, Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, Sirisia MP John Waluke, Webuye East MP Dan Wanyama, Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka among others.

The Ruto camp has also been calling on Mudavadi to shelve his ambitions and team up with the DP.

Reports that close friends of Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa have formed a new political party complicates matters even further.

The new outfit, Democratic Action Party of Kenya, received a provisional certificate on August 2 from the Registrar of Political Parties.

The new outfit has David Muchele as interim chairman while Kizito Temba, Wamalwa’s personal assistant, is the secretary. Wamalwa is yet to confirm or deny links to the party, which adds to numerous others in the region.

With all these confusion in Western region over who to support, DP Ruto can easily sail through and win the hearts of the voters ahead of 2022 race.