Any leader who wants to be a kingmaker in the Luo community must support Cord’s Raila Odinga until he retires, an ODM MP has said.
Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga made the remark in disagreement with Karachuonyo’s James Rege over Raila’s role in the election of leaders in the 2017 poll.
Anyanga claimed Homa Bay and Migori county leaders have regrouped under the Kalausi banner with the intention of dividing the Luo community.
“Right now the Luo have Raila as the flagbearer for the community and the presidency. Anybody thinking otherwise will be swept away in the polls,” he said.
Rege had accused Raila of “raising aspirants’ hands for the people” instead of letting them choose their leaders.
“I respect Raila but he should leave elections to the people. This character of hand-picking leaders should stop,” he said.
The Homa Bay grassroots elections will neither be free nor fair, he said, claiming a list of candidates endorsed by senior ODM members already exists.
Rege was among South Nyanza leaders who did not support ODM candidate Moses Kajwang’ during the Homa Bay senator by-elections in February.
He said he will continue working closely with the Jubilee government to develop his constituency.
Anyanga read Raila’s speech while Rege delivered former president Mwai Kibaki’s and Migori Governor Okoth Obado read President Uhuru Kenyatta’s.
The leaders attended the funeral of former ambassador to the United Nations, Joseph Odero-Jowi, at Bondo Kosiemo area in Nyatike constituency last Sunday.
Leaders lauded Jowi, who died on October 17 aged 86, for his input in establishing the United Nations Environment Programme offices at Gigiri in Nairobi.
Jowi took over as minister from Tom Mboya, who was assassinated in 1969. He also served as MP of Lambwe constituency which covered Mbita, Gwassi, Ndhiwa and Nyatike constituencies.
Source- the-star.co.ke
