The United Democratic Party (UDP) party leader and Kakamega County governor candidate Cyrus Jirongo has told off Luhya leaders who insult their kinsmen who hold a divergent view to please their master.
Addressing a series of rallies in Chevaywa, Lwandeti, Lugari, Chekalini, Mautuma and Lumakanda wards on his whistle-stop campaign tour of Lugari Constituency, Jirongo was irked by statements by a section of Luhya leaders in the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya about fellow Luhya leaders during a campaign at Matunda market in Likuyani Constituency on Friday.
“Even if they have chosen to take a different political route, you cannot be used to come here and abuse Likuyani MP Dr. Enoch Kibunguchy, abuse ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetangula, they deserve respect,” said Jirongo.
Jirongo said the Luhya community has overwhelmingly supported Raila in the past and wondered why they should abandon him when he is poised for victory.
“Raila could not have become PM in the Grand Coalition Government without the support of the Luhya community. All we are asking from him is respect to the Luhya community,” he said, and urged the community to vote for the Azimio Presidential candidate.
Jirongo said it is time the country’s leadership moved from the two communities that have ruled since independence to another community and hailed President Uhuru Kenyatta’s decision to back Raila to break the monopoly.
He said he had hoped Musalia Mudavadi would take a stab at the Presidency while they were together in the One Kenya Alliance but was disappointed when he joined Kenya Kwanza and decided to back UDA’s William Ruto.
While applauding Raila for his choice of Martha Karua as running mate because of her anti-corruption credentials, Jirongo said a thief is a thief regardless of their political affiliation and cautioned the Azimio candidate against working with tainted leaders from the community when there are many clean leaders from which to choose.
Jirongo said he decided to run for Kakamega governorship as the beginning of the march to ensure the national leadership comes to the Luhya community.
The party leader asked the residents to also go for the UDP Member of National Assembly candidate Brian Liseche and MCAs on his party ticket.
Jirongo is facing off with five other candidates to succeed Wycliffe Oparanya.