Ford Kenya leader and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula has suffered a setback after his ally declared support for Deputy President William Ruto's 2022 presidential bid.
Kabuchai MP Joseph Majimbo Kalasinga joined the hustler bandwagon during the DP's tour of Bungoma County last Friday.
"You supported me a lot and I must reciprocate that gesture," Kalasinga told the DP while addressing residents at Chwele trading centre.
The MP's about-turn has sparked speculation over whether he has the blessings of his party boss who has on numerous occasions denied links to Ruto.
The MP claimed to have brought greetings from Wetang'ula.
READ MORE
Wetangula calls on Judiciary and Civil Society to be fair when dealing with Parliament
Kenyan lawmakers eye East Africa games title
Azimio pushes to remove Wetang'ula as Speaker over bias
Kanja denies police have hand in abductions amidst public outcry
"Our beloved DP Ruto let me tell you that you and Bungoma are one thing and we are ready to work with you in your quest to empower the hustlers of this country," he said.
But Wetangula's aide Wafula Wakoli rubbished Majimbo's claims saying Ford Kenya had no plans of working with UDA.
"Ford Kenya Party has mechanisms and structures to do things and the sentiments by Majimbo that he had been sent by our party leader Moses Wetang'ula to tell DP Ruto that as a party we are supporting his hustler narrative is total lies," he said.
Wakoli said Ford Kenya was working with One Kenya Alliance.
"We want to say that those sentiments by Kalasinga were his own and not those of the Lion's party," he said.
He asked Ford Kenya members to rally behind Wetangula.
"Our party is firm under the able leadership of Wetangula and we are working with other leaders of One Kenya Alliance to take our people to State House come August next year," he said.
Wakoli said that the party has MCA's and other MPs who have not declared support for UDA.
Kalasinga joined five Jubilee Party MPs from Bungoma who accompanied the DP during the tour of the county.
Interestingly, the lawmaker was in the company of UDA’s Evans Kakai who came second after garnering 6,455 votes in the by-election.
Kalasinga garnered 19,274 votes to trounce seven candidates in the March 4 by-election. The by-election was occasioned by the death of former MP James Mukwe who was an ally of Ruto.
This comes even as pundits opine that the sibling rivalry within Ford Kenya seems to be a blessing in disguise for Ruto's UDA party.
Politicians allied to the DP in Bungoma have been taking advantage of cracks in Ford Kenya to solidify his support base.
Ford Kenya has split down the middle, with the Bungoma Senator leading one faction, while the other wing is led by MPs Wafula Wamunyinyi (Kanduyi) and Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren).
The party split following a coup attempt where Wamunyinyi declared himself the party leader.
However, Wetang'ula obtained court orders stopping his removal, pending hearing and determination of the matter.
The party’s National Executive Committee had accused the senator of gross misconduct and failing to champion the unity of members.
The also accused Wetang’ula of failure to reconcile warring members.
The senator has been working to restore sanity in the party amid ongoing political realignments ahead of next year's polls.
