List given to Uhuru divides Luhya leaders fighting Mudavadi, Wetangula

A dispute over State appointments is threatening to split a group of Luhya leaders fighting to upstage Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula as Western Kenya political supremos.

On Saturday, Orange Democratic Movement Secretary-General Edwin
Sifuna, nominated senator Naomi Shiyonga, Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala and
MP Godfrey Osotsi snubbed a meeting called by Devolution Cabinet Secretary
Eugene Wamalwa and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya.

The meeting was held to launch a group dubbed the Mulembe Youth Council.

Sifuna and Malala claimed CS Wamalwa and the five governors
short-changed the youth after failing to forward their names to President Uhuru
Kenyatta for appointment during a recent meeting with the Head of State.

The Mulembe Youth Council held its inaugural meeting at
Senator Malala’s home in Kakamega where they vowed to engage the government
directly.

The split within the camp comes slightly over a month after trade unionist Francis Atwoli named CS Wamalwa and Oparanya as Luhya spokesmen in a political move meant upstage Mudavadi and Wetangula.

Two weeks ago, Western Kenya governors met President
Kenyatta and presented a list of development projects they wish completed and
names of individuals to be appointed in government in rumoured changes.

But on Saturday, Sifuna faulted the list saying that it was
not inclusive and had left out the youth.

“The old guards have no respect for youth. Nothing
about us without us. It cannot be that the President requests 15 names for
appointment and no youth is floated,” said Sifuna, warning that Western
governors cannot be entrusted with promoting the region’s youth agenda.

Malala claimed that Luhya unity remains elusive because of
the old guard’s greed, and vowed to harness the power of the Mulembe youth to
earn a seat at the table.