Tell us the source of your wealth, Raila Odinga tells William Ruto

Cord leader Raila Odinga confers with Kakamega County Governor Wycliffe Oparanya during burial service of Mama Leah Khainga at Shiembekho village in Lurambi, Kakamega County on January 2,2015. Leah was mother to Prof. Stanley Ominde the Chairman of Kakamega County Hospital Management board. PHOTO: BENJAMIN SAKWA

KAKAMEGA: CORD leader Raila Odinga has once again challenged Deputy President William Ruto to reveal the source of wealth.

He cautioned leaders from western Kenya to be wary of money offered by Jubilee, saying the ruling coalition had ill intentions.

“You can see what Jubilee is doing. Ruto is everywhere conducting harambees and giving large sums of money,” he said in Bukura, Kakamega County during the funeral of Leah Khainga, the mother of Prof Stanley Khainga of the University of Nairobi.

Ruto was in Western Kenya on December 31 and attended the Batsotso cultural festival at Ematiha where he urged those from Western region to join the Jubilee party.

Raila dismissed these calls and said some Jubilee leaders had opposed earlier attempts to introduce devolved governments, especially during the Bomas constitution-making process.

He said local leaders should not be misled that the government was concerned about their welfare.

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy leader said Jubilee had failed to initiate new projects or completed development programmes commissioned by the Grand Coalition in 2012.

“The Sh140 Billion Eurobond money is missing yet there is no project in sight. The only projects we see are those that were launched by the Grand Coalition government led by former President Kibaki and myself,” Raila said. He also took issue with pollster Ipsos Synovate for subjecting his retirement to an opinion poll.

“Synovate is busy asking Jubilee supporters whether I should retire from politics. Why don’t they ask my supporters to bring out the truth,” he said.

He encouraged communities from western Kenya to register and vote for CORD next year.

“Nairobi, Kakamega, Kiambu, Bungoma are most populous regions yet Kiambu County has more votes than Kakamega and Bungoma combined. You should register in large numbers and use your ballot wisely,” he said, adding he would seek the presidential nomination next year.

At the same time, the former premier moved in to cool tempers between Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and Senator Boni Khalwale who spoke before him, saying they stood for the same cause.

There was a light moment when Khalwale said although he would vie against Oparanya, the governor should not fear appearing before the Senate to answer queries.

But Oparanya dismissed Khalalwe’s talk as cheap politics.

SENATE SUMMONS

“The senator should differentiate between his role at the Senate and his wish to vie. He should stop misleading the public that I have declined to honour Senate summons. Due process must be followed in issuing summons without lacing them with cheap politics,” said Oparanya.

He also dismissed Khalwale’s claims that the Senator was closer to Raila despite he (Khalalwe) not being a member of ODM. Khalwale won the Kakamega Senate seat on a UDF ticket. “I worked with Raila when others were busy jumping from one party to another. I am firmly in ODM. I want to tell you, Raila, that I will streamline the party in Western. This will allow you to concentrate on bringing ODM, Wiper and Ford Kenya together,” Oparanya, who is also the Deputy ODM party leader, said.

But when Raila rose to speak, he asked the two leaders to work together for the sake of CORD, saying the governor and the senator have distinctive roles which should not fuel conflict between them. Khalwale said he would marshal the Luhya community to support Raila in 2017. “I was with him in 2002 supporting Narc and we won. I was with him in 2010 supporting the referendum vote and we won. I will support his candidacy in 2017 and I am sure we will win,” he said added.

Khalwale and Oparanya asked the Western Kenya region to reject politicians who had decamped to Jubilee and were unconcerned about what local people wanted.

Jubilee allies in the region include MPs Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo), Benjamin Washiali (Mumias East) and Bernard Shinali of Ikolomani.