Leaders call on Raila Odinga to seek votes across the country

Leaders from Nyanza have said ODM leader Raila Odinga is free to seek votes from any part of the country.

The leaders also insisted that any of the coalition's three co-principals was free to campaign anywhere in the country and described comments by Ford Kenya leaders asking Raila to stay away from Western region as unfortunate.

The leaders' sentiments came just a day after Senator Moses Wetang'ula told Raila not to campaign in western Kenya, as his Ford Kenya party was the most popular in the region.

Mr Wetang'ula's call came a few days after Raila had concluded his tour of Kakamega County. Wetang'ula said it was high time Raila returned the favour by supporting his bid to be the CORD flag bearer, since he (Raila) had not been able to clinch the presidency despite three attempts.

Muhoroni MP Onyango Koyoo said stopping Raila from accessing Western region would make it easy for the newly formed Jubilee Party to sell in the region. The MP said the whole of western Kenya was currently under contest and deterring Raila was a strategy to open doors for Jubilee Party.

"If Raila does not heighten his efforts to get it, he might lose it to Jubilee. Wetang'ula should be happy Raila is trying to help him reclaim the region from Jubilee," he said.

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Mr Koyoo said the senator had no right to discourage the ODM leader from campaigning because the majority of people in the region were supporters of the folded New Ford Kenya party.

Kisumu East MP Shakeel Shabbir said every politician worth his salt should struggle to have the most popular vote, and political zoning should not be allowed.

"There is no zoning in this country and anyone can campaign anywhere. If he (Wetang'ula) feels he is more popular than Raila, then he should vie but not tell others to stay away," Mr Shabbir said.

"If Raila goes to Western and he is not welcomed, then he won't go, but the people have been coming out in large numbers, a clear indication that they love him. He should also come to Nyanza with Ford Kenya and we will support him," he added.

Kisumu West MP Olago Aluoch (Ford Kenya) said his party leader's remarks were not welcome.

"We must open up and let everyone sell his policies everywhere. That is when we will inculcate democracy. Kisumu is clearly an ODM zone, but he has an MP in me. How could I have clinched the seat if some areas were zoned off?" he posed.

He said such utterances would only undermine the unity that existed in the Opposition coalition.

ODM Director of Elections and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed rubbished the assertions, noting that the Orange party had a stronger presence in the region than Wetang'ula's outfit.

"It is baseless. You cannot claim Western is a Ford Kenya's stronghold. We have more elected leaders in the area than they do," said Mr Mohammed.

"They are telling people to vote Ford Kenya the same way we are asking people in the region to vote for ODM. So everybody should sell their own party."

On Saturday, Wetang'ula and Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale told Raila to stay away from Western in his hunt for votes.