Raila and Mudavadi renew rivalry

From right Kalonzo Musyoka, Raila Odinga and Moses Wetang’ula lead a CORD rally in Bungoma while  (inset) Eugene Wamalwa, Musikari Kombo and Alfred Sambu were in Webuye town. [Photos: Grace Wekesa/Benjamin Sakwa /Standard]

By Daniel Psirmoi and Luke Anami

Bungoma, Kenya: The stage is set for a renewed rivalry between CORD and Amani in the Bungoma senatorial by election after all the candidates were yesterday cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

Friday was the turn of Coalition for Reform and Democracy’s candidate and former Senator Moses Wetang’ula to present his nominations papers to the IEBC.

Wetang’ula was escorted by CORD leader and deputy leaders Raila Odinga and former VP Kalonzo Musyoka with more than 20 MPs amidst colour and pomp that brought activities in the dusty town of Bungoma to a standstill.

On Thursday, Amani coalition’s candidate former Cabinet minister Musikari Kombo presented his papers escorted by his coalition’s leader Musalia Mudavadi and New Ford Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa.

Main targets

The two coalition partners renew their political rivalry in Western Kenya since March this year when both Raila and Mudavadi vied for the presidency but lost to Jubilee’s Uhuru Kenyatta. Mudavadi, who vied for the presidency under the Amani coalition of which his UDF party is a member, came third in the hotly contested General Election that saw Raila emerge second.

Immediate former Bungoma senator Wetang’ula finally received the green light to vie for the area senatorial seat yesterday after the Bungoma County IEBC county returning officer Ben Misati gave him the nomination certificate to gun for his previous position.

The former Sirisia lawmaker lost his seat following a successful poll petition by former minister Kombo of New Ford Kenya who was also cleared on Thursday. Other candidates now in the race include former Bumula lawmaker Sylvester Bifwoli Wakoli and journalist David Makali.

In a show of might, the Ford Kenya leader was escorted by his CORD co-principals and over 20 leaders aligned to the coalition to the IEBC offices and later to Posta Grounds where they addressed a public meeting, bringing business to a standstill in the town.

Addressing thousands of jubilant supporters at the grounds, the CORD leaders exuded confidence that Wetang’ula would recapture his former seat and appealed to the county residents to turn out in large numbers in the by-election slated for December 19 and cast their votes for the former senate minority leader.

Raila said candidates aligned to his coalition were the major casualties as the elections of most them were nullified and noted that most of them have recaptured their former seats.

“A keen eye will note that most of the by-elections are happening in CORD areas. Our candidates were the main targets. Bungoma was one of the targeted areas as the only elected co-principal of CORD was the senator. We kindly ask you to shame the forces that are hell-bent on scuttling the opposition in this country by voting Wetang’ula back to the senate,” said Raila.

The former Prime Minister accused the alleged “forces” of now coalescing around former local government minister Musikari Kombo to have Wetang’ula barred in vain.

“They panicked, went to court again to have him barred after the judgement of September 30, in vain.  Wetang’ula is now in the field, we are ready to face them mundu khu mundu (man to man). But we are telling them now giniwasekao (we are winning it),” said Raila.

Kalonzo said Wetang’ula, who he described as a fearless and astute leader who has the interest of the people at heart, was being eagerly awaited by his colleagues in the Senate and appealed to the Bungoma people not to let them down.

“For the short stint he was in Senate as the Minority Leader, Wetang’ula fought for the increase of the amount of money allocated to counties. When he speaks in the Senate everybody listens. He is the kind of leader who ought to represent you in the Senate,” said Kalonzo.

The leaders sharply criticised the Jubilee Government for failing to live up to the expectations of many Kenyans and embroiling itself in many diplomatic rows as far as the ICC cases are concerned and embarrassing the whole country in the process.

African Union

“The Jubilee government is slowly turning out to be dictatorial because of their numbers. They midwifed the oppressive Media Bill and are now planning to scuttle the activities of the civil societies, which are critical in offering checks and balances. We will not sit back and watch as the official opposition as things go wrong,” said Kalonzo, who hit at the government for conducting itself without decorum in the international circles.

“The government has seriously defiled democracy in the country and even diplomacy. Yesterday British High Commission (officials) were ejected from a hotel in Eldoret, it is very shameful.

The government should consider engaging my services and those of Wetang’ula, as both of us who served as Foreign Affairs minsters can clean up our diplomatic image for free,” said Kalonzo. Raila said the Jubilee leaders should not thump their chests at meetings with African Union leaders but should reach out to the world with humility.