'Bullfighter' Khalwale bows out of Kakamega race in favour of Malala
Former Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale has opted out of contesting for the county’s gubernatorial seat in favour of current senator Cleophas Malala.
Announcing the new development, Deputy President William Ruto said the move followed extensive consultations within the alliance aimed at building a formidable coalition.
Subsequently, the DP said, the alliance agreed to endorse the deal between the two with Mr Khalwale now set to vie for the senatorial seat.
Dr Khalwale had been eyeing the seat on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket while Mr Malala on Amani National Congress (ANC) ticket.
“I want to announce that for Kakamega County, the honourable Bonny Khalwale has accepted to run for senator and has ceded ground for honourable Cleophas Malala to run for the position of governor of the county,” said Dr Ruto.
“This has come out of the spirit of give and take, sacrifice and clearly demonstrable leadership acumen of the two,” he added.
The DP was speaking while addressing the media in Karen, Nairobi in the presence of other Kenya Kwanza Alliance leaders including ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi.
The UDA presidential candidate said the sacrifice by Dr Khalwale to drop out of the race is part of the coalition’s endeavor to build an alliance with a leadership that will be able to address challenges facing Kenya and take it to the next level.
He revealed that the talks were initiated by the two leaders before it was escalated to the top leadership of the coalition for endorsement.
“In that endeavor, we realised that some of us have to make concessions and sacrifices so that we can build a team that will deliver to the people of Kenya the leadership that will provide practical plan to take Kenya to the next level,” he said.
Going forward, he said, the alliance will build a team around the two leaders in order to have the Western Kenya County, a Kenya Kwanza county.
“We have agreed to build a team around them right from MCA and Woman Rep level for Kakamega to move forward and we are confident that the county will be a Kenya Kwanza county. We have agreed that his (Khalwale) sacrifice will not go unrewarded,” he said.
Last week, Senator Malala, an outspoken ally of ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, said that younger leaders should take up leadership roles in the populous county.
Mr Malala, the county ANC chairman, had bene locked in a tussle with Dr Khalwale, a key point man for Deputy President William in the region.
The battle between the two politicians is likely to complicate the campaigns of the Kenya Kwanza alliance, which wants to clinch a majority of seats in the region that has voted overwhelmingly for ODM in past elections.
“I’m in the race for the Kakamega governorship seat because we need a leadership that will transform livelihoods in the region. I’m one of the youthful leaders who has strongly campaigned to protect devolution and that is why I’m in the race for (the) seat,” Mr Malala said.
Senator Malala’s stance had triggered sibling rivalry in Kenya Kwanza, setting the stage for a bruising battle ahead as The rivalry now threatens to spill over to the Kenya Kwanza stage after Mr Malala maintained that the Deputy President position in the alliance should go to Mr Mudavadi.
He said the decision by Mr Mudavadi and Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula to partner with DP Ruto on January 23 should be reciprocated by offering the ANC leader the running mate position.
“The Deputy President should pick Mr Mudavadi as his running mate in the Kenya Kwanza alliance. This is an issue we need to negotiate about and agree on," he said.
