The scramble for votes from the vote rich former Western province and its environs has taken a new turn in the run-up to next year’s general elections as one of the major parties in the region closed shop and officially joined the newly formed Jubilee Party of Kenya led by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.
The region that has had a better part of its voters lean on the opposition side, led by former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga and his other principals in the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy Moses Wetangula and Kalonzo Musyoka, is now torn between different directions of the political divide.
Early last week New Ford Kenya leaders led by party leader Ken Lusaka resolved to wind up the party and officially join the Jubilee Party of Kenya, a move that has now been overwhelmingly endorsed by its delegates in Bungoma county.
Elected leaders from the party and other leaders have defended the move claiming that it is timely and to the interest of the people in the region whom they want to be part of the formation of the next government after the 2017 polls.
Speaking at Webuye Panpaper Guest House, the party leader Lusaka said that the move to join the formation of Jubilee Party is the best and should be supported by its supporters and other stakeholders in the region.
He accused those who are criticizing the party’s move saying that such are people who were also eyeing the same move but were late in making up their mind hence should not criticize NFK.
Cabinet secretary for water and irrigation services Eugene Wamalwa lauded the party’s move to join Jubilee as the best and timely one pouring praises on the party leader as having been brave enough to arrive at such a decision.
He acknowledged the development that the Jubilee administration has implemented and is still unfolding in the region urging leaders and delegates to boldly go out and sell the policies of the party of Jubilee and ensure that is deeply rooted down among the electorate.
Bungoma county member of parliament Dr. Wanyonyi pointed out that meat of a cow to be slaughtered is shared before it is slaughtered hence NFK moved in early enough to be shown the share of the meat before the cow is slaughtered other than moving in when all has been shared out after formation of a government.
Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama accused those who are claiming that the party has been sold out asking how much his value is, if at all there were any business transactions.
Saboti MP David Wafula Lazaro speaking at Serem primary school said that moving in to be part of the formation of Jubilee Party does not in any way make NFK a lesser partner in the coalition that is aimed at forming the next government.
Bumula MP Bornface Otsyula said that NFK moving to Jubilee is not betrayal to any leader or people of Western as the move is to ensure that their people enjoy the privileges of being part of the government.
Jubilee to sweep seats in the region
The former NFK leaders who spoke at different functions in Bungoma including a rally at Chwele market and the delegates meeting in Webuye exuded confidence that the Jubilee Party is poised to form the next government after the 2017 polls and shall not only form the government but shall also sweep virtually all the elective seats in Western region especially Bungoma and Trans Nzoia Counties.
Harry Kimtai a politician who has been vying for the Mt. Elgon parliamentary seat in the last two general elections lashed at rival Ford Kenya party under the leadership of Bungoma senator Moses Wetangula who seem to be celebrating the dissolution of NFK to be ready to lose most of its main seats including the gubernatorial position in Trans Nzoia county to Jubilee.
“They are busy laughing that NFK has been sold yet they are forgetting that they are having a major problem in their party especially in Trans Nzoia where the party is breaking in the middle,” said Kimtai.
Scheme to scuttle votes in opposition region
The move by NFK to join Jubilee and other political moves by other political leaders in Western is seen by political pundits as one of the deliberate moves by the Jubilee administration to infiltrate and split votes in a vote-rich region that has leaned on the opposition side in the last two general elections.
Western region now has several groups or rather parties and movements that are tearing the electorate apart to different destinations some known while others not known.
NFK’s move is clear and has pointed on the direction that the party wants it followers to go, but there is another move by Budalangi MP and former secretary general of the Orange Democratic Movement – ODM, Funyula MP and former national vice chair of the orange party Dr. Paul Otuoma and Sirisia MP John Koyi Waluke and other ODM officials and supporters whose aim of resignations and rebellion has had its aim and destination remain unclear.
However the team is also moving with a substantial number of supporters and loyalists towards their unknown destination.
Amani National Congress party under the leadership of former deputy premier Musalia Mudavadi is another party whose destiny as far as the 2017 general elections are concerned is not defined bearing in mind that many politicians including Bungoma governor now believe that the next polls shall be a two-horse race between Uhuru Kenyatta of Jubilee and Raila Odinga of CORD.
Wetangula’s Ford Kenya is also hanging in the balance with its followers not knowing whether by next elections they shall still be in CORD or shall be an independent party or shall have also joined their brothers and sisters of NFK in the Jubilee party of Kenya.
Voters to be divided than ever
The current scenario of different forces pulling and pushing for votes in the Western region that has its main inhabitants the Luhya community the second largest group in population after the Agikuyu remain confused not knowing which force or party to follow.
With the generosity nature of the community it therefore means that each of the political parties and movements or coalitions making forays in the region shall at the end of the day come out with a portion of the votes hence one of the major coalitions shall have an advantage due to the divisions.
