By ROBERT WANYONYI

BUNGOMA COUNTY, KENYA: Ford-Kenya Party Leader and former Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula’s efforts to recapture his seat received a major boost after former New Ford-Kenya National Organising Secretary Dr. Eusebius Juma Mukhwana defected to the party.

Wetang’ula received Mukhwana who led several other NFK members to Ford-Kenya during a function also graced by Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi at a Bungoma hotel.

Mukhwana said he had left NFK due to the party’s lopsided political ideologies, especially after being barred from challenging Kombo for the party’s ticket to contest in the December by-election.

“Some officials of that party (NFK) have turned it into a business kiosk from which they seek to get funds from other political bigwigs in the country who want their support,” said Mukhwana adding: “Today, I have officially quit that party to join Ford-Kenya and I will be a very fierce campaigner for Wetang’ula to recapture his seat because he has the right credentials to mount a serious presidential campaign.”

Wetang’ula said his campaign team had been rejuvenated and will now go flat out to recapture the seat he said was harshly snatched from him after a successful election petition filed by Kombo.

“Give me this chance to recapture my seat because, while I stand for the interests and unity of the entire Luhya community, my opponents are only being prodded on by outside forces and they are set to advance the same interests that sponsored them,” said Wetang’ula.

He added that he was going to launch a serious bid for the country’s presidency in the 2017 General Election adding that he does not rule out the possibility of fellow CORD Principals Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka supporting his presidential candidature in future.

“If Raila supported Kibaki in 2002 and I also supported him in 2013, what can stop him from doing the same for me in my future plans for the same seat?” asked Wetang’ula.

But in a swift rejoinder to Mukhwana’s defection, NFK Party Leader Eugene Wamalwa downplayed the move saying Mukhwana left the party even before the March 4, General Election after he joined the National Vision Party (NVP) from which he unsuccessfully contested for the Kabuchai Parliamentary seat, losing to Ford-Kenya’s James Lusweti.