Mudavadi quest to sell UDF faces political hurdles

By Stephen Makabila                        

Key United Democratic Forum (UDF) leaders now admit it is hard for Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Musalia Mudavadi to penetrate the populous Bungoma County and the neighbouring Trans Nzoia County.

The party has now decided to employ an alternative strategy.

“The feeling is that the DPM is using wrong pointmen who have for years been embroiled in political battles in the area. He should make a break and deal with fresh people who have some foothold in the politics of the two counties,” said Bungoma UDF interim chairman John Murumba Chikati.

Prof Simiyu Toywa, another UDF operative in the area, also disclosed that those who want to join the party were being frustrated.

“People want free access to Mudavadi and not through intermediaries who want to settle political scores. People are ready to unite under UDF   in a bid to bring leadership to Western and it should be a fresh start,” added Prof Toywa.

Mudavadi was in Webuye and Kitale on Friday to engage elders from the two counties in a bid to win support, as a step towards consolidating Western province as a bloc behind him. After the recent Kakamega rally, his allies are now planning major rallies in Bungoma, Busia and Kitale before the DPM reaches out to areas outside the province.

His key pointman in Bungoma is former Trade and Industry Minister Mukhisa Kituyi but local leaders allied to UDF want him to concentrate on his role as National Advisor to the DPM  and keep off grassroots politics.

“We feel as a national advisor, Kituyi can play his role very well but his mandate should not include trying to coordinate issues at the grassroots level. Let him operate in Nairobi and leave the grassroot to other players,” said Mr Robert Smart Wafula from Bumula.

While the UDF leadership in Bungoma wants to lure all MPs from the county to endorse Mudavadi’s presidential bid, they claim most MPs do not get along politically with Kituyi.

Kept distance
“At first, Ford-Kenya MPs were with Mudavadi during the first press conference in Nairobi, but ministers Moses Wetangula and Noah Wekesa, assistant minister Wakoli Bifwoli and Kimilili MP Eseli Simiyu have kept a safe distance,” said Ms Norah Simiyu of Kimilili.

Mr Kombo and Dr Kituyi at one time engaged in a vicious political fight over the control of Ford-Kenya, which forced the former Trade and Industry to bolt out of the party.

Kombo and Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa have also fought Wetangula over the control of the same party.

Kombo eventually decamped with Wamalwa to New Ford Kenya.

“We want Kombo and Wetangula alongside other MPs in Bungoma to support Mudavadi, but we feel this can only be possible if no one seems to be in charge of UDF and Mudavadi within the county,” added Chikati. The Sirisia MP noted in an earlier interview with The Standard on Sunday that he has no problem working with like-minded leaders in the province and that he supports any unity initiative.

However, Wetangula has of late been strengthening his Ford-Kenya party, which has already developed a five-pillar election blueprint.

Mudavadi has indicated he would initiate talks with Wamalwa given his strong hold on Bungoma and Trans-Nzoia politics. Former Water assistant minister Raphael Wanjala said a good working relationship between Mudavadi and Wamalwa would ease political tension in Western.

“They need to talk and show the region leadership as a united team. We do not want a situation where votes are split due to unnecessary rivalry,” added Wanjala. 

Apart from Bungoma, the other counties in Western Province where UDF is struggling to gain some foothold is Busia, where almost all MPs have decided to back Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

And the PM has chosen youthful Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba as one of his Pentagon members, a boost marshalled by Sports minister Paul Otuoma and assistant minister Sospeter Ojaamong, among others.

“Busia is also high on UDF’s agenda of consolidating regional support in Western. Mudavadi has plans for the county as well,” explained Chikati.