Atwoli accuses Mudavadi, Wetang'ula of political betrayal as defections rock ANC

**COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli. October 2021.** [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has termed ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi a traitor following his pact with Deputy President William Ruto.

Atwoli said Mudavadi and Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula have betrayed the OKA co-principals Gideon Moi (Kanu) and Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper) by joining UDA without notifying them.

Speaking in Kilifi yesterday, the Cotu boss said Ruto was sitting pretty at the meeting because he knew that he has ‘married’ the two sisters.

“Mudavadi invited Ruto to his National Delegates Congress without the knowledge of his other OKA principals. How can he talk about the politics of betrayal and deceit while himself cannot be trusted and made a deal with Ruto without the knowledge of OKA principals,” he said.

He termed Mudavadi a thorn in the flesh of leaders he has tried to associate with.

“It goes without saying that after 2013, Mudavadi has not only been a thorn in my flesh but also that of Raila (Odinga) and indeed other leaders he has tried to associate with,” said Atwoli.

He said Mudavadi’s attempt to paint an image of a strongman boomeranged on him yesterday leaving him with egg on the face.

“Mudavadi suffers from Samson’s complex. This is where, like Samson in the bible, one becomes so bitter about their inability not to change circumstances around them and thus result in self destruction,” he said.

“Mudavadi should have asked Gideon and Kalonzo not to attend the meeting as a man. It goes to show how cunning he is yet it is Moi who has been funding them,” he said.

Atwoli said Ford Kenya and ANC were confusing the Luhya politically and if they meant well, they should have merged the two parties and chart the way forward for the region.

He claimed that Mudavadi stands no chance to win the presidency after staying in the cold for nearly 10 years.

“If Mudavadi lost a parliamentary seat when he was a vice president. What makes him think he can win the presidency after being in the political cold for nearly 10 years?” He posed.

Atwoli said Mudavadi should not talk about dynasties yet he was one of them.

Former Speaker Kenneth Marende termed the Sunday declaration by Mudavadi a betrayal to the Luhya nation.

“Those people who were seated with our brother Mudavadi at the Bomas of Kenya have no good intention for this country. They don’t wish it to progress and I don’t agree with them,” said Marende.

Defence cabinet secretary Eugene Wamalwa said people of Western region had a lot of hope in Mudavadi when he declared his interest in the presidency, but that hope was shot down on Sunday.

The party deputy leader Ayub Savula who last week defected from ANC to DAP-K in the same capacity said he would lead MPs from Western to DAP-K.