The OCPD controlled traffic flow on the road and ensured there was order at markets where the DPM stopped to address his supporters along the Kakamega-Kisumu road on his way to the rally.
Regular and administration police officers were stationed strategically along the road the way it is normally done when the President or Prime Minister visits the region.
Western Provincial Police Officer (PPO) Benson Kibui said they had resolved to grant all presidential candidates tight security during their visit to the region and Mudavadi was not an exception.
“Mudavadi is a Deputy Prime Minister and is entitled to police escort and security from the State,” said the PPO.
Asked why he and not his Vihiga counterpart accorded Mudavadi such an unusually high level of security, the Kakamega OCPD responded: “We were doing this in collaboration with Vihiga”.
The “new Mudavadi” also seems to have found his grip on Western politics, with a sizeable number of the region’s MPs trooping to his side.
Mudavadi says the move he has taken has made “doubting Thomases” think twice.
“I have always said that I am not the shadow of anybody but people have not been believing this…I am happy that they can now see who I am,” he added.
“My supporters wanted to see my political signature and I have made it and it is good that they have started to associate with me,” said Mudavadi.
“Kenyans are showing that the country is bigger than an individual and that is why leaders who thought they own Kenya politically are crying after I quit ODM,” boasted Mudavadi.
Dr Khalwale and Mr Shitanda said Mudavadi is emerging as President Kibaki’s potential successor. They said the courage he was exhibiting has taken his political detractors by surprise.
“Looking at the mammoth crowd seen in Kakamega I can confirm that we are on the crescent of a tsunami that nobody would resist,” said former Kimilili MP Dr Mukhisa Kituyi.
