- Savula, who is deputy DAP-K party leader, said if the three fail to mobilise votes for Ruto, the younger generation will replace them.
- Luhya unity has been elusive for decades, with top political leaders from the region pulling in different directions during elections.
Image: HILTON OTENYO
Top Luhya leaders have a responsibility to deliver the Western vote bloc to President William Ruto in 2027 after uniting under the broad-based government.
Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula said Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Cooperatives and SMEs CS Wycliffe Oparanya must demonstrate they are in control of the region.
He said the three leaders will have no excuse after ODM leader Raila Odinga loaned Oparanya to government.
"Western has been perceived to be Raila Odinga’s bastion and the three leaders should be able to seal the region behind Ruto in 2027 now that Raila has donated Oparanya to work with Ruto," Savula said in his office on Monday.
“We’re giving them a chance to prepare for the 2032 presidential race. We’re preparing Mudavadi for 2032 and this will make sense if they are able to deliver Western as a bloc, so they can ask Ruto to return the favour in 2032.”
Savula, who is deputy DAP-K party leader, said if the three fail to mobilise votes for Ruto, the younger generation will replace them.
Luhya unity has been elusive for decades, with top political leaders from the region pulling in different directions during elections. This has in the past made the region unattractive to other regions in building coalitions.
Mudavadi and Wetang’ula campaigned for Ruto under Kenya Kwanza alliance while Oparanya led the Azimio campaigns for Raila.
Mudavadi and Oparanya worked together in ODM in 2007 and delivered the region almost to a man to Raila.
The former deputy prime minister walked out of ODM and ran for presidency on a UDF ticket in 2013.
Oparanya said during President Ruto’s visit to Malava in Kakamega on Saturday that he was ready to work with the Kenya Kwanza government.
“I will return to tell the people of Kakamega what in the ministry I head has for them,” he said.
Savula said the three under Mudavadi should negotiate for development of the region, especially full revival of the sugar industry and completion of all stalled projects.
Lawyer Martin Oloo said Mudavadi, Wetang’ula and Oparanya face a tall order to convince the communities in the region to support Ruto’s reelection.
He said the region seems to be unhappy with the Kenya Kwanza administration because it has not fulfilled its election promises.
He said that the community is still waiting for the 30 per cent share of government they were promised during campaigns and little has changed in the sugar sector.
Kakamega ANC branch chairman Tonny Maleche said what the people on the ground want is development and not appointments.
“What we want the President to do is to come and launch development projects even alone because that will change the lives of the people as opposed to parading those he has appointed to his government,” he said.