Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli has insisted that ANC and Ford Kenya parties should be dissolved to present strong political negotiations ahead of 2022.
On Sunday, Atwoli said the dissolution will pave the way for the formation of one political party that will bring together leaders and residents of the vote-rich region.
Both ANC and Ford Kenya have a strong presence in Western than any other region in the country.
“We need to have one party in Parliament,” Atwoli said.
“Ford Kenya and ANC should be dissolved so that we can have one party. [Ford Kenya party leader Moses] Wetang'ula should accept that his brother [Musalia] Mudavadi of ANC is older than him. He [Wetang'ula] should allow him [Mudavadi] to lead that party.”
Atwoli said it is time Mudavadi and Wetang'ula worked as a team for the good of the region.
This is not the first time Atwoli is calling for the dissolution of the two parties. In January, officials from the two parties told the Cotu boss to desist from undermining the leadership of the two political outfits by calling for their dissolution.
ANC Kakamega chairman Julius Arunga at the time told Atwoli to leave the two leaders alone.
But Atwoli on Sunday said leaders from Western have failed to stand firm on matters affecting the region. He said though residents are united, their leaders have commercialised politics, subsequently letting them down.
“If you want the presidency, you should look for a password because the journey to the presidency has a password,” the outspoken Cotu chief said.
“Don’t shout in funerals and fundraisers. Without one political party, we will only be engaging in commercial politics and that is the truth.”
Atwoli spoke at St Stephen’s ACK church in Busia on Sunday.
He was accompanied by Mudavadi, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, Busia Senator Amos Wako and Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong.
MPs present included Kassim Tandaza (Matuga), Geoffrey Odanga (Matayos), John Bunyasi (Nambale), Omboko Milemba (Emuhaya), Lugari’s Ayub Savula, Sabatia’s Alfred Agoi and Vihiga Woman Representative Beatrice Adagala.
Eugene urged residents to support the BBI. He said residents should look beyond the report and forge ways of bolstering unity between communities inhabiting the four counties in Western.
“BBI has brought us together, and we are moving in this journey together. But let us go beyond the BBI so that we can maintain the unity of purpose beyond BBI and 2022 elections,” the CS said.
He said when residents and leaders come together and speak in one voice, they are 'heard from far'.
"When we speak of Western region unity, we should not be speaking about members of the Luhya community alone because in Western we have the Iteso. Let us bring them on board. We also have our brothers the Sabaot in Mt Elgon whom we should also bring on board so that when we come to the table of Kenya, our weight will be felt and our voice will be heard.”
Mudavadi took a swipe at Atwoli who had earlier on told him to stop criticising the way the Jubilee administration is running the country.
Atwoli had said for Mudavadi to ascend to the country’s top seat, the ANC leader should go slow in criticising the government in power.
But Mudavadi responded, “If I don’t explain to people why I deserve to be of service to them, they will not know whether they will vote for me or not. We have to explain that certain things are in trouble. I will not be discouraged. I will tell you the truth that we are in trouble.
“Why I say that is because right now we cannot fund our universities. If you go to universities, there is a problem and they are even being closed down. Why aren’t we able to fund our universities?”
He also said the country was headed in the wrong direction because of ballooning public debt.
“We are heading in the wrong direction. The Treasury Cabinet Secretary has already said we are in trouble. He has said we have no alternative and that government employees will be laid off.”
He said the BBI initiative had been debated for two years and it is time to bring an end to this discussion.
“Let us put closure to that debate [BBI]. Let the referendum come, we will support this thing and get it out of the way so that Kenyans can start looking again at the problems we are facing as a country,” Mudavadi said.