Mudavadi: Jubilee pushing me to abandon electoral reforms

ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi receives a Christmas bull gift at the home of Mzee Peter Magero at Muruka Village in Butula, Busia County Sunday morning. He's flanked by from left ANC National Chairman Kelvin Lunani and Flevian Kubasu.

Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi has vowed not to be swayed from championing reform for electoral justice despite Jubilee attempts to silence him.

Mudavadi said he will not relent in search of thorough reforms for electoral justice.

“Some leaders in Jubilee are pleading with me to abandon the reform train. That I should calm down; let them get on the gravy train. They don’t know what steel I made from. This is my New Year message to them; let me assure you I cannot jump off this electoral justice reform train into an empty cattle carriage. Electoral reform is not for Raila or Mudavadi. It is for posterity. It is for all Kenyans. Every vote must count. Elections must stop being a ritual of theft. Elections must stop being a conspiracy of one, two or three tribes to steal from others. Every Kenyan must have an opportunity to vote and to win or lose fairly. Kenya is not a monarch,” he said.

He said Kenya’s foundation is being undermined by impunity of the Jubilee regime determined to ravage the country like an invading army.

“The looting is brazen. A helicopter is allegedly bought for Sh2.7 billion, put in the air without insurance and immediately crashed to avoid audit queries. Do you call this a government or a group of pirates?” he asked.

He said police brutality emanates from sabotaged police reforms.

 “Ours isn’t a police service anymore but a political militia extorting, maiming and killing in a warzone in the name of defending the Jubilee regime. Jubilee has undermined police independence for political expediency and ethnic profiling. When Kenneth Matiba returned from London in 1992, Mwai Kibaki in 2002 and both Uhuru and Ruto from Hague in 2014, no police roadblocks, tear gas or bullets were erected in their way. But it took six hours of murdering 19 people to get Raila from the airport to his home. Is this the Kenya we all can live in?” Mudavadi asked.

Mudavadi spoke in Butula, Busia County on Sunday during a traditional ceremony in his honour at which several MPs from the region vowed to rally support for him. Vihiga Senator George Khaniri; MPs Sakwa Bunyasi Nambale; Joseph Oyula, Butula; Alfred Agoi, Sabatia and former Butula MP Alfred Odhiambo urged the community to support Amani National Congress (ANC) and NASA founder Musalia Mudavadi to solidify his home base.

“Mudavadi stands tall in national leadership. He has shown maturity, he is sober. He means well for everybody. He is a pillar to political respect and support from other communities. We are going to rally behind him as our spokesman as he prepares for the presidency,” they said.

The MPs said regardless of party affiliation, Luhya leaders are discriminated against equally in NASA despite sacrifices. The MPs said unity of purpose was required to dispel the curse of Luhya leaders being used while rewards went to others.

“In Parliament it does not matter whether you are in Jubilee or NASA, as long as you are a Luhya you are used as a number to get spoils, but when the spoils are shared, you become a Luhya who deserves nothing”, said Oyula.

“How can Luhya miss slots in NASA line-ups in Parliament? Don’t we matter anymore? The Somali Wajir, Mandera and Garrissa counties got one seat each in EALA while we got nothing. Mudavadi and the Luhya deserve better than this,” said Odhiambo.

“Mudavadi sacrificed his presidential ambitions, surrendered NASA and put his resources and time into the campaign. As a result his party lost many seats in the elections because it lacked an active captain.  Despite his contribution, we continue being marginalised in Bunge, yet he is still not bitter. He has shown great restraint. This is the leader Kenya is missing”, said Bunyasi. 

“The way slots in Parliament were dished out in NASA is untenable. It is as if we (Luhya MPs) do not exist. We must face this reality that we are abandoned, unwanted and search for shelter. That home is ANC”, said Khaniri.

“Jubilee is on a mission to destroy the credibility and careers of Luhya leadership. Look at how they have misused former speaker Kenneth Marende and then denied him votes to remain KPLC chairman. Look at the sorry figures of Fred Gumo, Moses Akaranga and Yusuf Chanzu. They are now monuments of ridicule,” Khaniri said.