Musalia Mudavadi, Boni Khalwale differ on Bungoma senate by-election

Former Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi (left) and Busia Senator Amos Wako [Photo: Renson Buluma/Standard]

By Renson Buluma

Bungoma, Kenya: Amani Coalition leaders clashed at the weekend over who to support in the forthcoming Bungoma senatorial by-election.

United Democratic Front (UDF) leader Musalia Mudavadi differed with Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale (New Ford-K).

The two leaders seemed to be reading from different scripts when each maintained a divergent position over who to support between Musikari Kombo of New Ford Kenya and former ally turned political nemesis Moses Wetang’ula of Ford Kenya.

Khalwale said supporting Kombo, who he termed as a President Uhuru Kenyatta’s project in the region, was tantamount to endorsing the marginalisation of region by the Jubilee Government.

Citing a recent statement by the President that Jubilee Coalition will lead the country for the next 20 years, Khalwale said he was not willing to support a group of leaders which has left majority of the people in Western Kenya poor.

“Mudavadi has his stand and I, Khalwale, as a right thinking man have also taken my position on the matter.

I don’t want to put myself in situation where I will not be able to answer my grandchildren when they ask the role I played to help the community as a Luhya leader, when things run out of control in future,” said Khalwale amid cheers from the crowd.

He urged voters in Bungoma to reject Kombo and vote for Wetang’ula, adding that such action will help unite the community.

Coalition’s position

But in response, Mudavadi said that Khalwale’s decision to support Wetang’ula was personal and not the coalition’s position.

He said UDF, which is a member of the Amani Coalition, has chosen to support Kombo.

“Khalwale has a democratic right to support Wetang’ula but as a party, we resolved to support a candidate from one of our Amani member parties. I support Kombo and that is our position,” said Mudavadi.

They were speaking at Lwanya Secondary School during the funeral service of the late Alice Wako, mother of former Attorney-General and Busia Senator Amos Wako.