Unite to develop region, Kenneth Lusaka tells Luhya leaders
Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka during a past event. He has come under sharp criticism for failing to convene a meeting to resolve the revenue stalemate.
What you need to know:
- Leaders from Western Kenya are sharply divided politically.
- The Senate Speaker insisted that their different political affiliations should not be a reason for them not to work together.
- Some support President Kenyatta and his handshake partner Raila Odinga while others support DP Ruto.
Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka has called for unity among western Kenya leaders, saying that this is the best way for the region to achieve faster development.
He lamented that despite the region being populous, leaders have over the years been working towards different agendas based on their varying political affiliations.
He was speaking on Saturday at the burial of Beatrice Chepkurui in Tambolol village, Mt Elgon Constituency over the weekend where he noted that failure to unite among those in leadership positions has made the region to lag behind in development.
“Leaders should unite and work closely together with each other for the region to achieve faster development,” he said.
Leaders from Western Kenya are sharply divided with some supporting President Uhuru Kenyatta and his handshake partner Raila Odinga on one hand, while others support Deputy President William Ruto and his Tangatanga faction.
Political affiliations
In Bungoma County where the Speaker hails from, Governor Wycliffe Wangamati and Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi have been gravitating towards the Uhuru- Raila camp after staging a coup in Ford Kenya.
On the other hand, MPs Didmus Barasa (Kimilil), Dan Wanyama (Webuye West) and Fred Kapondi (Mt Elgon), who were all elected on Jubilee Party tickets, are sworn allies and key foot-soldiers of DP Ruto.
Also in the same Tangatanga matrix is Bumula MP Mwambu Mabonga who was elected as an independent candidate.
But speaking at the funeral service on Saturday, the Senate Speaker insisted that their different political affiliations should not be a reason for them not to work together for the common good of those who elected them.
“If we put aside our partisan considerations, then finding solutions to the problems and challenges facing the ordinary citizen at the grassroots will be much easier,” said Mr Lusaka.
Other leaders who attended the burial were senators Moses Wetang’ula (Bungoma) and Michael Mbito (Trans Nzoia).
