Raila, Mudavadi head for Western Kenya rallies

By Martin Mutua and Allan Kisia

Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Musalia Mudavadi, one of his deputies in Grand Coalition’s pecking order, return to Western Province this weekend after their close brush at the Coast.

Their near-encounter at the Coast, where police had to create a buffer zone between their feuding supporters, was at the weekend but the return to Western rekindles memories of the last time they were there.

This was during the burial of Nairobi Mayor George Aladwa’s father on May 5 in Mudavadi’s Sabatia Constituency. After the confrontation between their supporters Mudavadi asked Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere to investigate Raila over claims he Aladwa’s father on May 5 in Mudavadi’s Sabatia Constituency.

After the confrontation between their supporters Mudavadi asked Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere to investigate Raila over claims he had ferried goons from Nairobi to the burial.

But in what appears to be a strategy to avoid a direct confrontation between their supporters, especially following Mudavadi’s claim in Mombasa that Raila’s team was stalking his party across the country, the PM last evening made a slight alteration to his itinerary.

Initially both presidential hopefuls were to hold separate meetings in Kakamega on Saturday, but last evening Raila moved his to Sunday, leaving the town to Mudavadi.

However, the sensitivity with which both groups are treating the Western Kenya vote basket stems from the fact that it is Mudavadi’s home-turf and Raila could be keen not be seen to be treating his former ally with a condescending attitude.

sanctioned

It is notable that Raila will be going to Western with Mudavadi still in DPM’s office and also Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) deputy leader, despite being sanctioned by ODM’s top decision-making organ to replace him at all levels.

Nonetheless Raila appears keen to demonstrate that he has not given up on this vote basket and that despite Mudavadi’s departure from ODM, he respects him and wants to avoid fanning perception he is antagonising the Sabatia MP and his supporters.

However, Mudavadi’s team is already up in arms charging that the PM and his team are again stalking them after the coastal parallel rallies.

They claim Raila’s rally in Kakamega was an ‘afterthought’, and was scheduled after they came to know the Sabatia MP had scheduled his.

The Deputy Prime Minister’s director of communications, Mr Kibisu Kabatesi, castigated the ODM’s decision to hold a rally in Kakamega on Saturday (before Raila moved it to Sunday) arguing this was a recipe for chaos.

“After we finalised preparations for our meeting in Kakamega with security organs, ODM found out and quickly organised a rally in Kakamega. This is in bad taste,” he stated.

He warned this ‘stalking’ by ODM could result in violence as rival supporters may clash.

“Are they going to follow us until people are hurt? Why can’t they organise their meetings elsewhere instead of stalking us?” he asked.

However, ODM MPs reacted angrily to the assertion that they were stalking Mudavadi. Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba argued Mudavadi and his United Democratic Forum (UDF) party members were newcomers.

newcomers

“UDF is complaining that we are following them. They are newcomers and UDF is not a parliamentary party. We don’t regard UDF as a serious rival,” stated Ababu.

The Budalang’i MP further said it would be a waste of time for them to try to counter moves by UDF.

Ababu argued ODM would organise a caravan in various areas in Western to mobilise people and popularise the party ahead of the two rallies. He insisted ODM has its own programme. “If we happen to meet UDF in a region, then it will be by coincidence,” he went on.

He spoke at a press conference in Nairobi where he was accompanied by

Assistant minister Alfred Khang’ati and Sospeter Ojaamong as well as ODM MPs Wilbur Ottichilo, Alfred Odhiambo and Omondi Anyanga.

Khang’ati claimed UDF lacks agenda and has chosen to peddle lies. “In ODM, we will discuss corruption and integrity. We will talk about the Goldenberg and cemetery scandals,” he said.

Programme

According to an earlier programme released by ODM headquarters, Raila was to be in western on Saturday and Sunday to address two major rallies in Kakamega and Busia towns.

On Saturday Raila and his ODM ‘Reloaded’ team were to be at Muliro Gardens in Kakamega after a roadshow throw the streets and estates of Kakamega. But this is the activity that has now been moved to Sunday, confining Raila’s political activity on Saturday to Busia.

Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito, who is a Mudavadi ally, wondered why ODM keeps mentioning UDF if they do not consider it strong rival.

“Is it that when you quit ODM you suddenly become corrupt? Why change of tune?” Kizito asked.

Raila’s rally will be his first in Kakamega since Mudavadi quit the party and resigned from the Local Government docket.

He has since appointed Regional Development minister Fred Gumo who has roots in Western Kenya to act at the Local Government minister.

The move is viewed by observers as aimed at appeasing the western region that the docket is still intact for the region.

Gumo is a loyal ally of Raila and has come to the strong defence of the PM in the saga although he has not been antagonistic to Mudavadi as well.