Mukhisa Kituyi roots for Luhya unity ahead of 2022 elections
Former Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Mukhisa Kituyi has called on presidential aspirants from the Luhya community to unite and front one of their own ahead of the 2022 election.
Kituyi, who has also declared his 2022 presidential bid, regretted that leaders from the community were not approaching the 2022 polls as a united front with up to three of them showing interest in gunning for the top seat.
Speaking in Bumula constituency during the burial of a local politician, Walunywa Mukhamule at the weekend, Kituyi said it was regrettable to see Amani National Congress leader (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang’ula coalescing in the One Kenya Alliance, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya firmly in ODM leader Raila Odinga’s camp while some local MPs were campaigning for Deputy President William Ruto.
“We cannot ascend to power with such kind of divisions, we must speak with one voice,” said Kituyi, adding that some leaders were pursuing own selfish interests and not the community’s good.
Common front
“How can you claim to be bargaining for presidency and yet you are entering into coalitions without the mandate of your electorate,?” he asked.
“When you enter any coalition without the mandate of your electorate then definitely you have been compromised as an individual.”
Kituyi said he has been reaching out to both Wetang’ula and Oparanya with a view to forging a common front ahead of next year’s election.
However, Bumula MP Mwambu Mabonga challenged Kituyi to also shelve his presidential ambition and support one of their own.
The legislator said Kituyi should not talk of people going into coalitions alone yet he had also formed alliance without consulting the electorate.
“When he entered into a coalition with Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana and National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, who gave him the mandate to do so,?” posed Mwambu.
Mwambu, an ardent supporter of Ruto, said he will only rally behind one of their own if the various presidential aspirants unite and rally behind one candidate.
