Oparanya declares total war on Mudavadi – Weekly Citizen

Political battles between Luhya kingpins Musalia Mudavadi and Wycliffe Oparanya has now shifted to Vihiga county that is perceived to be the stronghold of Mudavadi.
Oparanya is said to have unleashed a massive campaign to cripple Mudavadi in his Vihiga backyard and the scheme seems to be paying off.
Oparanya after consolidating the Kakamega votes to boost his bid for presidency, has embarked on an aggressive campaign to bag three other counties in Western province and Mudavadi’s Vihiga county is his first stop. Other counties Oparanya is working out on how to penetrate are Busia and Bungoma
Our sources revealed that the Kakamega governor has stepped up campaigns to bring to his camp MPs, MCAs and opinion leaders including elders some who are close allies of Mudavadi from the county to his political camp.

Chris Omulele

Already Oparanya has with him MPs Chris Omulele and Godffrey Osotsi and he is using the duo to court Emuhaya MP Omboko Milemba. Vihiga MP Ernest Kivai who is also another close ally of Mudavadi is another leader said to have a soft spot for Oparanya whom they studied with at the university. Kivai is irritated that some of key Mudavadi allies seem to be preferring Kenyan ambassador to Burundi Ken Vitisia who is eyeing the Vihiga parliamentary seat.Kivai is blaming Sabatia MP an ally of Mudavadi in favouring Vitisia. Former Vihiga MP Yusuf Chanzu who was in 2017 govership race wants to reclaim his parliamentary seat 2022.
Immediate former Vihiga county assembly speaker Nixon Butiya, chief whip Victor Ijaika and deputy minority leader Rev Douglas Beru who were thrown out of the assembly leadership after their scheme to impeach Governor Ottichilo boomeranged on them have joined Oparanya camp. The same is with former minority leader Moses Opole.
Butiya and Ijaika have accused Mudavadi of failing to use his position to prevail upon ANC MCAs to defend them when Ottichilo spent Sh500,000 to compromise MCAs to oust them after he survived an impeachment motion.

Wilbur Otichillo

Ottichilo is also a key supporter of Oparanya bearing in mind that he is an ODM governor. Ottichilo has been using Oparanya to negotiate for him and have the payment of county pending bills payments spread to three years so that the national government can release money to the county for smooth operations. He thinks Oparanya can also help him secure ODM ticket to defend his seat after falling out with party leader Raila Odinga.
Oparanya has been holding secret night meetings with the leaders in Vihiga at Roddys Hotel and at a hotel owned by Beru at Cheptulu township.
ODM county chairman Zebedi Asabwa, Maragoli elders Fred Omido and business tycoon Ibrahim Ambwere are among key opinion leaders in the county that are marshaling Oparanya’s support. Retired Anglican Bishop Simon Oketch is also another key leader from the county Oparanya was banking on. Oketh recently felll in a toilet only tobe rescued by mourners to be admitted in a local hospital for treatment and cleaning. The funeral was for an aged lady a relative to Oketh who was abandoned in poverty. She died cursing family members hence the wrath the former bishop experienced.
Osotsi who feel out with Mudavadi is the one in the forefront in campaigns to have Oparanya take over Vihiga county and his efforts have positive fruits. As a result, Mudavadi’s close allies are said to be bitter with what Osotsi is doing.

Beatrice Adagala

Our sources further revealed that Mudavadi’s camp has been thrown into a panic and decided to send Vihiga women representative Beatrice Adagala to Oparanya to request for a meeting between the governor and former VP to try and contain his growing support in Vihiga.
Oparanya is said to have dismissed Adagala arguing that he had made his decision to fill the political gap Mudavadi has left in Luhyaland and also gun for presidency.
Oparanya is said to have taken advantage of failure by Mudavadi to make ANC vibrant in Vihiga to revitalize ODM in the area. He recently opened ODM office at Vihiga area and other offices in some wards. Sources revealed that ANC county office at Mbale was closed for nonpayment of rent after Osotsi who was paying the rent decamped.In Luanda and Emuhaya, the ANC offices have closed with party members calling for removal of Sikalo Ochiel who used his position to nominate wife to county assembly only for Mudavadi to learn it too late.
The governor seems to be making his entry in Vihiga through Bunyoreland because of his good history with the sub tribe after serving as a teacher at Ebusakami Secondary School. This was evident with the rousing reception he got when he was a chief guest during a football match organised by Omulele and Milemba at Emusire High School and attended by close to 10,000 fans.

Osotsi as his pointman has represented him in several functions in the area. He represented him at a Salvation Army church function at Mudavadi Girls High School Madzuu. He attended with him a harambee for the reconstruction of Givogi Primary School in Hamisi and several church functions in Emuhaya and Luanda sub counties.
During the Givogi function, Oparanya had a dinner meeting with host MP Charles Gimose at his home alongside colleagues Osotsi, Caleb Amisi senator Cleophas Malala and a forest of MCAs. Gimose seems to be leaning towards Oparanya’s camp.
Oparanya has also a cordial political relationship with former governor Rev Moses Akaranga and Senator George Khaniri. He is said to have lobbied for Khaniri through Raila to be appointed as a Commissioner at the Parliamentary Service Commission a position that was a reserve of ODM.
The CoG chairman is said to have lobbied for former Vihiga women representative Dorcas Kedogo to be appointed as a commissioner with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission and the latest to benefit from Oparanya’s efforts is the acting VC Masinde Muliro University Solomon Shibairo.
We are worried that Oparanya is causing more political harm to our son Mudavadi and unless he watches his steps he will be thrown into political limbo soon, said one of Mudavadi’s close allies.