The recent sacking of Rashid Echesa as cabinet secretary for Sports has created confusion in Western Kenya as Luhya politicians fight to remain relevant in the run-up to 2022.
Seen in some quarters as an affront to the community’s dignity, political leaders are now grappling with divided loyalties as the clock fast ticks towards Uhuru Kenyatta’s succession.
With the famous handshake between the president and Raila Odinga drastically altering the political equation across the country, three opposing camps have now emerged, one supporting the Uhuru-Raila camaraderie; another one hopping to William Ruto’s bandwagon, with the third group solidly rooting for ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi.
In the wake of Echesa’s dismissal, Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali, a staunch Ruto ally, came out strongly to voice the community’s concern over Echesa’s sacking and warned that Luhyas would reconsider their support for Jubilee.
Those tagging along Washiali’s school of thought include Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, Sirisia’s John Waluke and Dan Wanyama of Bungoma West; all fervent supporters of the DP. The MPs have stuck to their demands that the government comes clean on Echesa’s ejection from the cabinet.
Malava MP Moses Injendi and his Navakholo counterpart Emmanuel Wangwe, both elected on the Jubilee platform are other ardent supporters of the DP from the Western region.
Even with the much touted ANC-Ford-Kenya merger just but a still at birth, Mudavadi commands significant loyalty from MPs elected on his party ticket.
In Kakamega county, Ayub Savula of Lugari, Titus Khamala, Lurambi, Tindi Mwale, Butere and Christopher Aseka have remained steadfast behind ANC party boss, who is expected to compete in the presidential race in 2022.
Mudavadi’s Vihiga county has Alfred Agoi, Sabatia, Ernest Ogesi, Vihiga and Omboko Milemba as his foot soldiers.
With Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula at an all-time low since his fallout with Raila, his party luminaries in the region have been sending mixed signals on where their loyalties lie, at least for now.
The dissolution in 2017 of New Ford Kenya of Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa and later Kenneth Lusaka occasioned a vacuum in Bungoma and Trans Nzoia.
Whereas Wamalwa is angling for a political comeback in 2022 – most probably as Trans Nzoia governor – Lusaka is an ardent supporter of the DP. If anything, he mildly aspires to be picked as Ruto’s running mate.
To many, the Echesa hullabaloo may just be a sheer smokescreen, after all. Long on the campaign trail to date, Ruto’s loyalists in the region have never hesitated to make their intentions known.
Led by former Kakamega senator Bonnie Khalwale, the politicians have seized every moment available to view the renewed war on corruption from the lens of anti-Ruto machinations designed to block him from succeeding Uhuru.