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An aspirant for the Shinyalu parliamentary seat yesterday urged voters in Western Kenya to rally behind Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi to boost Kenya Kwanza Coalition’s chances to win the forthcoming election.

 Businessman Fred Ikana said Luhyas should vote for the coalition in large numbers to enable Mudavadi to have better bargaining power should they form the next government.

 He said the community had the highest number of votes in the coalition, which they should use to cement their influence in a would-be Kenya Kwanza government.

 “We are the country’s second, if not the largest community but our biggest undoing is voting in a divided fashion,” said Ikana, who is eyeing the Shinyalu parliamentary seat on the ANC ticket. “We should end this backward culture, rally behind Mudavadi and Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetangula so as to make a political statement come August 9.”

He was speaking at St Philip’s Mukomari Catholic Church in Ileho, Shinyalu.

 He said Luhyas should emulate other communities that support their national leaders without conditions.

 He appealed to his opponents to play mature politics and stop engaging in insults but tolerate each other and focus on selling their manifestos.