Mudavadi: Luhyas cannot continue making the same electoral mistakes

Kenya: Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi has said the late Michael Kijana Wamalwa’s ‘‘grand march to state house'' clarion call didn’t end with his death, despite the false starts thereafter.

He said mistakes by Luhya leaders have been made along the way but “time has come to chart our own independent political agenda rather than continue to make the same mistakes of hoping that our goodwill will attract support”.

Speaking at the 22nd memorial of the late vice-president Michael Kijana Wamalwa, the ANC leader said the community must assert itself since no community is in Kenya by accident or at the benevolence of another.

“We must refuse the notion that some people were born and others are made in this country. Our destiny will not depend on the benevolence of others but our confidence and determination to be citizens of this country with rights Therefore the Department of immigration must give us our IDs, IEBC must give us our voters’ cards consumerate with our illegibility”, he said.

The former deputy prime minister was reacting to claims by 13 MPs at the function that people in the region are being denied IDs on flimsy grounds. He said only those intent on rigging elections can be fearful of the potential vote by the community.

“Just because you are scared of Musalia as a candidate should not be reason to deny people their right to vote. They know you can prove them wrong and pull a surprise against voter apathy stereotypes”, he said.

“You are told you are not ready and you believe. You are accused of being divided and you believe. But when you are told you are many and you believe, they get scared”, he added.

He thanked Water and Irrigation Minster Eugene Wamalwa for disapproving cynics and standing by him in 2013 presidential elections.

“I wish you well in your new docket. In true brotherhood you did the unexpected. That gesture sealed our unity and we must build on it. Let’s walk the same route we did in 2013 with you, for that is what your brother would have wanted”, he said hinting at his 2017 presidential ambitions.

Mudavadi reiterated that petty politics should be divorced from the sugar industry woes saying that scrabbles will erode confidence in Kenya’s trading partners in EAC.

“Let’s not insult each other. The debate has revealed loopholes in trading regime that facilitate illegal sugar dumping. The issue is whether Rules of Origin will be abused by barons in both Kenya and Uganda. But it is an opportunity to focus on profitability and efficiency in cane farming. That’s when we will have no excuse to talk about sugar deficits or sugar barons”, he said.