Tangatanga MPs' fury after Western politicians meet Gideon Moi

Several Western Kenya lawmakers, allied to the Tangatanga political faction, have lashed out at leaders who met Kanu chair Gideon Moi in Kabarak, Nakuru County, on Friday.

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and Cotu Secretary-General Francis Atwoli led a team of Western politicians in discussions with Mr Moi that touched on the 2022 General Election.

The Baringo senator is marshaling his troops and solidifying his grassroots support in Western ahead of the 2022 presidential elections.

On Sunday, eight Tangatanga MPs, including Mumias East’s Benjamin Washiali, said the team that met Mr Moi, who is Baringo County’s senator, embarrassed the Mulembe nation.

"Our brothers have ridiculed and ashamed our community by carrying a delegation to Moi to unveil a portrait without having an agenda for our people. What does that mean?”

Mr Washiali said the leaders did not ask for permission “before going to drum up support for Gideon Moi's 2022 presidential bid” and noted that the Western region plans to be part of the 2022 government in alliances with like-minded people.

"If it's a portrait they wanted to show Gideon, they should have taken him to Uhuru Park and showed him the portraits of his late father. Some of these leaders are a big joke. They are telling us they want to enter the government, two years to the polls, yet we are making plans to form the next government,” he said.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Oparanya said their meeting did not amount to an endorsement of Mr Moi.

HANDSHAKE POLITICS

The legislator further said that everybody agrees the handshake is beneficial as it has brought peace but that politicians have gone overboard and are using it to undermine the Constitution President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed to protect.

"If you go to Parliament, committee seats are occupied by people supposed to be in the opposition, who are presiding over impunity at the expense of millions of Kenyans," he said, adding there is nobody to keep the government in check.

"We are appealing to Uhuru …  if this is what the handshake is all about, it will undermine what he swore to protect," he said.

He noted that the deal with ODM leader Raila Odinga has escalated the war on graft but some corrupt individuals are hiding behind it while stealing from the public.

Bumula MP Mwambu Mabonga accused CS Wamalwa of ‘auctioning’ the region using the handshake and the delegation to Baringo of “kneeling” before Senator Moi.

He voiced support for Deputy President William Ruto, saying "Ruto has visited us but we have never seen Moi and Raila doing any tangible thing here.”

He added, “My parents never knew they would give birth to an MP. We are living testimonies. Let's not gamble with the lives of our people. Anyone from Western can be Ruto’s running mate. We ask bishops to pray for Ruto to be sound and alive.”

CS Wamalwa says their tours are focused on development projects for the sake of better living for Western residents.

Regarding this, Mr Mabonga said, "Development in Kenya has been very selective. If you have never slept hungry or walked naked, you can't understand the pain of lacking.”

 He said the people should not welcome the leaders who went to Baringo to Western region, but should instead “take the cash they were given and chase them away”.

"We want Bungoma to be a Tangatanga bedroom so that when Ruto forms his government, we will have several ministers from this region.”

GOVERNMENT POSTS

Malava MP Malulu Injendi said that there is no way Mr Moi can defeat DP Ruto in the next presidential election.

"We are wondering how our leaders, who imposed themselves on Luhyas as spokespersons, can go to launch a mere portrait of the late Moi yet they have never considered doing that for Masinde Muliro or the late Vice President Kijana Wamalwa," Mr Injendi said.

He added that Dr Ruto has made inroads into Western Kenya and enjoys more support from the community due to his  “sound development track record”.

"We want leaders who were in that delegation to come and tell our people clearly what its importance was to them,” he said.

The leaders asked Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula to hurriedly join DP Ruto's camp and help Luhyas get to State House as time is running out.

The leaders spoke on Sunday at Mr Mabonga's home in Bumula Constituency at a thanksgiving event following his accident in Timboroa in June.

The others who echoed their remarks were Didmus Barasa (Kimilili), Fred Kapondi (Mt Elgon), Dan Wanyama (Webuye west) and Murunga (Matungu). Present at the event was former Kakamega Senator Boniface and a host of MCA's from western region.