Mixed bag as Opposition leader Raila Odinga tours Western

Sabatia residents wave placards urging ODM leader Raila Odinga to support Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi in 2017. (PHOTO: BENJAMIN SAKWA/ STANDARD)

It was a mixed bag of reactions for ODM leader Raila Odinga at the start of his five-day tour of western Kenya to counter a rebellion triggered by some party MPs from the region.

Raila received a warm reception from ODM delegates he addressed at Sosa Hotel in Vihiga County but later ran into a hostile crowd along the routes in Mudete and Mbale towns.

The CORD leader had just opened an ODM Sabatia branch office along the Chavakali-Kapsabet road when he encountered hostile crowds that chanted in praise of Amani National Congress party leader Musalia Mudavadi. They waved banners urging Raila to support Mudavadi for the presidency.

"Hiyo risasi moja weka kwa bunduki ya Mudavadi (load that one bullet in Mudavadi's gun)," one banner read.

At Mudete, Raila's guards were forced to push back surging crowds that chanted "ANC!", forcing him to cut short his speech.

"Rudishia mkono Mudavadi na Waluhya (return the favour to Mudavadi and the Luhya people)," another placard read.

The day had started on a brighter note for Raila at Sosa Cottages where he met delegates from the county.

Raila's allies reached out to ODM MPs Ababu Namwamba (Budalang'i) and Paul Otuoma (Funyula), who have resigned as party secretary general and vice chairman respectively.

Raila said he came to Western region to weigh the situation on the ground after the shocking exits of Namwamba and Otuoma from top party positions and the disquiet by other ODM leaders from the region.

"I have come to ask the residents to join the bandwagon because the bond that existed between the Luhya and Luo communities cannot be easily wished away," he said.

Raila rallied residents to support him in dislodging Jubilee from power, accusing President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration of poor leadership.

He then proceeded to Shamakhokho market in Hamisi constituency where he addressed a meeting.

Prodigal son

Acting ODM Secretary General Agnes Zani and nominated MP Elizabeth Ongoro likened Namwamba and Otuoma to the biblical prodigal son, saying the duo were free to return home and help build a strong ODM ahead of the 2017 elections.

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, who doubles up as the ODM deputy party leader, said the recent shake-ups in the party were normal, and dismissed leaders regrouping under the guise of Luhya unity.

But party chairman John Mbadi said Western region had been isolated by the Jubilee administration going by appointments in Government as it had only two cabinet secretaries, namely Judy Wakhungu and Eugene Wamalwa.

Speakers urged Mudavadi to consider joining forces with Raila to defeat Jubilee. Kajiado Central MP Elijah Memusi said Mudavadi was a respectable and shrewd leader who could change the political matrix in 2017 by choosing to work with Raila.

Separately in Budalang'i, Otuoma and Namwamba vowed that they would not succumb to pressure to leave ODM. The two legislators insisted that they were in the party to stay since they had a stake in it, and would soon tell their supporters what direction to take.