- This comes after the duo held a joint press conference in January seen as a demonstration for an end to their long-running enmity.
- In a previous event attended by a section of leaders from the county, Khalwale and Oparanya buried the hatchet at the former governor’s Emabole home.
Image: HANDOUT
ODM deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya has come clean on recent claims that he endorsed Senator Boni Khalwale for the 2027 Kakamega gubernatorial bid.
This comes after the duo held a joint press conference in January seen as a demonstration for an end to their long-running enmity.
“When Khalwale visited me it was an open meeting where he started by recognising that I'm the senior-most leader in Kakamega and revealed that he will be vying in 2027. He never asked for any support because we are in different parties,” Oparanya said.
The former Kakamega governor was speaking during the burial of Mwalimu Haggai Isiongo in Marenyo-Shianda ward, Butere constituency on Saturday.
The burial was attended by Governor Fernandes Barasa, MP Tindi Mwale, Woman MP Elsie Muhanda and a host of other leaders.
In a previous event attended by a section of leaders from the county, Khalwale and Oparanya buried the hatchet at the former governor’s Emabole home.
“Former Governor Oparanya and I have agreed to work together for the sake of development in this county. We will reach out to all shades of this county, including MCAs and MPs, to ensure that Kakamega succeeds. When Kakamega succeeds, the vision I shared with Oparanya in 2013 will also succeed,” Khalwale said.
During the meeting, Oparanya recalled facing rebellion from Senator Khalwale during his ten-year tenure as Kakamega governor.
“He kept me on my toes to deliver and because he did so, I believe I was able to deliver. This is what a senator is supposed to do. In politics, there are no permanent enemies or permanent friends; what matters is the interest,” Oparanya said.
A few weeks later, Oparanya said he received a call that the senator had delivered a number of goodies at his rural home in Kakamega.
“I was in Nairobi when I was called and told Khalwale had brought a cow to my homestead and when I called him he said the last time he visited he came empty handed. I don’t have cows so I told my PA to go and keep it at his home,” he added.
Khalwale unsuccessfully attempted to unseat Oparanya in 2017, but Oparanya trounced him and secured a second term in office.
In 2022, Khalwale shelved his gubernatorial ambitions and went for the Senate seat as part of an in-house agreement within the UDA party.
During the burial service, Governor Barasa also denied claims that he was not on talking terms with his predecessor Oparanya.
“My party leader Raila Odinga is on his way to the AU Commission chairmanship and the only person who is most suitable to take over as the party leader of ODM is Wycliffe Oparanya. I have been walking around supporting him, surely can I drum up support for someone I'm not in good terms with?” Barasa posed.
Barasa called on elected leaders in Butere constituency especially County Assembly lawmakers to work in harmony.