We’re not joining exodus to Kenya Kwanza, Kakamega legislators vow
By dennis-lumiti, September 7, 2022The 11 MPs in Kakamega County allied to the Azimio-One Kenya yesterday vowed to stay in the coalition.
The leaders denied claims that some of them were warming up to the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
They said they had accepted the Supreme Court verdict that validated the victory of President-elect William Ruto in the August 9 General Election but that they would be comfortable in the opposition.
Speaking separately, the politicians said they would continue to rally behind ODM leader Raila Odinga.
They include Benard Shinali of Ikolomani, Christopher Aseka of Khwisero, Titus Khamala of Lurambi, Emmanuel Wangwe of Navakholo, Nabii Nabwera of Lugari and Innocent Mugabe of Likuyani.
Others are Peter Salasya (Mumias East), Johnstone Naicca (Mumias West), Peter Nabulindo (Matungu), Tindi Mwale (Butere) and Women Rep Elsie Muhanda.
“Jeshi la Baba is still strong,” said Mwale.
Kakamega Governor-Elect Fernandes Barasa and his deputy Ayub Savula also vowed to remain in Azimio. Shinali said it was too soon for people to speculate even before the MPs are sworn in.
“Such rumours are far-fetched because some of us are not even thinking about leaving where we are now but still digesting the ruling of the Supreme Court,” he told People Daily.
Quit ANC
Aseka declared that he was in ODM to stay and that no amount of machinations would make him decamp to Kenya Kwanza.
The legislator, alongside Khamala, Savula, Mwale and Nabulindo are some of the leaders who quit ANC to protest their party’s decision to join forces with Ruto in the run-up to the elections.
Aseka, Khamala, Mwale and Nabulindo were then handed direct ODM tickets which they used to successfully defend their seats.
The Khwisero MP and Khamala broke the one-term jinx that had haunted their predecessors.
Shinali and Wangwe, who quit Jubilee, also secured ODM tickets while Savula moved to DAP-Kenya.
They said they would use their positions to push for development without necessarily “going to bed with the ruling coalition.”