Written by John Kabaka & Richard Saka 2012-04-21 18:03:00 Read 1327 Times

DPM Musalia Mudavadi flanked by senior leaders from Western Province Soita Shitanda the malava mp, Dr. Bonny Khalwale of ikolomani and George Khaniri of Hamisi during a consultative meeting held in Kakamega. Photo/ John Kabaka

The ODM Deputy Party leader Musalia Mudavadi has been urged to walk out of the ODM and seek his presidential bid on another party.

In what was meant to be a “consultative meeting” at the Masinde Muliro University in Kakamega County for Mudavadi ended up being calls for him to ditch the Orange party to achieve his quest of being the Fourth President of Kenya.

In response, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Government Musalia Mudavadi  reiterated that “there is no turning back” in his quest to run for presidency in the forth coming general elections.

Speaking in Kakamega where he addressed civic leaders from different counties and western leaders, he called for unity to achieve the course.

“To seek for victory, it is a must brothers and sister; we must cooperate with other Kenyans. I am finalizing my consultation and I want you to know that am not going to turn back,” said the DPM. (Read:There is no turning back, Mudavadi declares

He further, emphasized that the Saturday meeting was not tribal but an avenue for likeminded people to chart way forward in leadership of the country.

“This is not about a tribal agenda. The agenda is what we can do to also offer ourselves an opportunity to lead this country,” adding that, “I will go ahead and complete the consultations because the main announcement should reflect a national picture and it is coming soon.”

Mudavadi equated his quest to an expectant mother who has to wait for nine months to deliver, noting that, an emergency might happen, thus calling for patience, “I want us to give an opportunity to the child whom we are expecting to be delivered.”

He further noted that he works with time frames saying, “We have timeframes which we have to adhere to, be patient, there is nothing else. This is a journey of sacrifices, we shall be abused, called names, sleep hungry, walk on foot. It can be done if we are together. We want unity, we do not want bloodshed. Let us be custodians of that peace,” he implored the leaders in reference to their calls for him to make known his stand.

Civic leaders drawn from the Western Province, the Trans Nzoia and Nandi Counties disclosed that doors for him within the party were closed and that if the western MPs will not support his bid, they as civic leaders, they were ready to move with him and get the grassroot support for him

They further noted that, they were still in ODM because he had not shown them his new political vehicle and they were waiting for him to do so, so that they can move out with him.(Read:Mudavadi told to take his own stand and to be cautious of political opportunists

In Meru, Prime Minister Raila Odinga who wound up his two day tour cautioned those intending to leave the Orange Democratic Party(ODM) that they would do so at their own peril.

Mr. Odinga who is the party leader made it clear that ODM has not ejected any of its members from the party adding any member was free to pursue their political dream through the party including vying for the country’s Presidency on the party ticket.

He pointed out that the party had met all the demands made by deputy leader Musalia Mudavadi including accepting that the party’s Presidential flag bearer be elected by delegates at the county level.

“We have also accepted to remove a clause in the party’s constitution that gave the party leader an automatic Presidential ticket and the field is now open to any party member ready to go for it,” he added.

He reiterated that Mr. Mudavadi had not left the ODM and was still deputy party leader free to pursue his presidential ambitions within the party. 

Musalia who had been accompanied by members from the region, among them; David Were (Matungu) Yusuf Chanzu of Vihiga, Manyala Kenya (Lurambi), Kizito Mugali (Shinyalu), George Khaniri (Hamisi) Soita Shitanda (Malava) ,Dr Bonny Khalwale (Ikolomani) and others were former Kimilili Mp Mukhisa Kituyi, and former Budalangi mp Raphael Wanjala.

The civic leaders who had gathered at the Masinde Muliro university auditorium

Ikolomani legislator urged the DPM to quit ODM assuring him that he will implore the other presidential contenders from Western to relinquish their quest for him. “We have met coz we have an agenda, and our agenda is, to take over from President Mwai Kibaki. I want to work with you Musalia,” said Khalwale.

Housing minister Soita Shitanda who is also the party leader of the New Ford Kenya condemned  leaders from Western against Musalia’s move to walk out ODM and instead he urged him to discuss his bid with the other presidential aspirants from the region to pave way for him as he is the best suited to unite them.

“Musalia is the best candidate to unite Kenya,” said Shitanda.

Former powerful KANU nominated MP Mark Too said, “We want Musalia to take the leadership from President Mwai Kibaki, I know Musalia is the right one to be president.” He thus, called on the Luhya community to support him to the fullest saying, “We will from the Rift Valley support him fully.”

Subsequently, the Shinyalu mp said they will take what belonged to them from ODM whereas Vihiga mp Chanzu saying, “We have invested in a new vessel, we are timely and raring to go, Musalia must go to State House.”

Lugari County Council Chairman David Amaswache castigated a section of Western Province leaders who recently prevailed upon Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi to abandon his quest for the presidency and ditch the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

Amaswache said it was disappointing to realize that the leaders from the region were standing in Mudavadi’s way and denying the region a chance to bid for the presidency. Describing them as traitors, Amaswache told the MP’s to let the DPM alone and allow him to pursue his lifelong dream of heading this country.

The civic leaders further castigated the Westlands’ Mp Fred Gumo of talking ill of the Western leaders saying he should keep off the western issues as he is a Nairobi MP

This is after Gumo led 13 mps from Western Province who urged Mudavadi not to quit ODM but instead fight it out with Prime Minister Raila Odinga for the party’s presidential ticket.

However, Mudavadi in his constituency on Friday said, he was not surprised that colleagues who have always requested him to contest the presidency were asking him to withdraw.

“They were never serious and wanted to use the bait for political mileage. Now they have read the political mood wrongly”, he said.

Subsequently, the Nandi civic leaders said Mudavadi can be sold and accepted countrywide, warning that if luhyas lost the chance they would not see it again.

Elsewhere, in Trans Nzoia, the league of Young Orange Democrats, a youth wing of Orange Democratic Movement in Saboti constituency urged the minister for local government Hon. Musalia Mudavadi to stay put in ODM party as this is the only platform where he can realize his dream of leading this country.

Speaking at Saboti, the 500 youths led by their chairman Mr. Wilson Okalo said that ODM had national representation unlike other parties which were only regional vibrant.

The urged the deputy premier to fight within the party as opposed to moving out of the party terming it as party hoping. “We really need your Hon. Mudavadi and this is the high time you should heed the advice of Western Kenya people and lead them to the Promised Land,” noted Mr. Rotich Jacob a youth from the constituency.

The youths advised the premier that even if he cannot make it this time he should persevere and wait for 2017 when he would not be denied the ticket citing that the Prime Minister Hon. Raila Odinga’s age constitutionally would bar him for running for the seat.

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