ANC and Ford Kenya vow to lock ODM out of western

NASA Principal Moses Wetangula and Kakamega county gubernatorial aspirant Dr. Boni Khalwale dance during Ford Kenya rally at Khwisero sports ground on May 12, 2017. By Benjamin sakwa

Amani National Congress (ANC) and Ford Kenya officials have told the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to forget about winning seats in western region.

ANC and Ford-K, which are affiliate parties in the National Super Alliance (NASA), however said they would campaign for Raila Odinga's presidential bid but not any other ODM aspirant.

Ford-K leader Moses Wetang'ula said he would campaign for Raila but vowed to ensure ODM would not win any seat in the region.

"We will support Raila as a community. Let us vote for NASA even if Musalia and I did not get the flag. For other seats, let Raila not impose leaders like Wycliffe Oparanya on us. We will campaign for Boni Khalwale and other Ford Kenya leaders," said Wetang'ula, who is the Bungoma senator.

His sentiments were echoed by Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale, who said they would not allow Raila to dictate the kind of leaders the community should have.

He expressed confidence that residents of Kakamega, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties would vote for Ford-K governorship aspirants while in Busia and Vihiga they would support Paul Otuoma (independent) and Moses Akaranga (PPK) respectively.

"We know how to plan for ourselves. We will not allow anybody to dictate for us. We have decided Raila will get our votes for the presidency but ODM will not get seats in the region," said Khalwale.

ANC candidates also said the region should be made an ANC zone.

Shinyalu MP Aspirant on ANC ticket Adrian Meja said ODM should appreciate ANC for allowing the Orange party to take the NASA presidential ticket.

"ANC should be left to control western. We need to vote for ANC aspirants to give Musalia Mudavadi strength in the alliance. Raila's team should appreciate that fact and forget about getting seats in the region," said Mr Meja.

He said ODM should focus on other parts of the country and not to engage into sibling rivalry, which might work to the advantage of Jubilee.

"ANC will work as a team to ensure we clinch a majority of the seats in western. ODM should forget about getting seats in western," he said.

But ODM deputy party leader and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya insisted the Orange party would field candidates for all elective seats in western.

Jubilee Party leaders have also claimed western would be a battle ground for Jubilee and ANC, dismissing ODM's popularity.

"ODM has lost the ground. They will be lucky to get at least two seats in Kakamega. Jubilee will win most seats," said Benjamin Washiali, MP Mumias East.

Former ODM youth leader Rashid Mohammed (MP aspirant Mumias West) said NASA is a blackmail to the community.

He said Mudavadi and Wetang'ula were shortchanged in the NASA line-up.

"We cannot allow few people to auction the community for their personal interests. We left ODM and we cannot go back. We are in Jubilee," said Mohammed.