William Ruto’s hands are seen in a simmering fresh propaganda attack on Luhya leaders not keen to abandon Raila Odinga ahead of 2022 general elections. It is an open secret that the second in command has spent fortunes in galvanizing Western support and that informs the current leadership confusion in the region with word doing the round that embattled Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetangula is one of the major beneficiaries of Ruto cash. Top in the list of those targeted in the fresh wave of attacks is Busia women representative and ODM deputy secretary-general Florence Mutua. Ruto has infiltrated the region and can easily assembly his attack dogs in a similar scenario witnessed when a section of the MCAs came out to attribute chaotic Luhya politics on the ODM leader Raila.
Florence Mutua
It, therefore, did not come as a surprise when Funyula MP Wilberforce Mudenyo who is an ODM legislator fiercely criticized a leading role recently bestowed on Mutua by Raila on how to handle Busia county development issues. The meeting presided over by the ODM leader and also attended by Governor Sospeter Ojaamong among other leaders discussed the supposed maintenance of KisumuBusia Highway, Luanda Ginnery and the proposed tarmacking of the Ganjala Nakhasiko-Nangina Road. However, immediately after the meeting, a furious Mudenyo went out guns blazing citing that the meeting was an attempt by the former prime minister to impose Mutua on Busia leaders as new county spokesman.
Paul Otwoma
Mudenyo maintained that the action should be considered misleading and ill-intended as it was the work of Busia people to anoint anyone in such capacity. The MP is seen to be supporting his predecessor Paul Otuoma whose name is in the growing list of those eyeing Busia gubernatorial seat. Though Mutua is commanding support, others in the race are Busia deputy governor Moses Mulomi, Nambale MP Sakwa Bunyasi, Matayos MP Geoffrey Odanga and Agricultural Corporation managing director Lucas Meso. Meso network on the ground is sending shivers across the county. Mutua’s upper hand in the race is attributed to her close working relationship with Governor Ojamoong and her party boss Raila.
Lucas Meso
Analysts have pointed that Otuoma compounded his political troubles when he ditched Raila and Musalia Mudavadi led Nasa to support Uhuru Kenyatta in the last elections. Despite several attempts by the former Funyula MP to make a come to Raila’s camp, the ODM leader is said to be comfortable with him. Mutua according to Orange house insiders is seen as someone who has braved Ruto money wave in the Western region to stick with Raila and therefore is considered a formidable point person in the region.
Sospeter Ojaamong
It is against this background that similar propaganda orchestrated against her by Ruto camp in the next general elections is likely to erupt as the political temperature in the country rises. Sometimes in 2016, the women rep cried foul and castigated Ruto over ethnic profiling after the DP reportedly asked Busia residents to vote her out in the last elections saying she was an outsider. Mutua who is born to a Kamba mother, a Luhya father and married in Busia county seems to be less bothered by such propaganda and is focusing on the fact that Busia is a cosmopolitan area blended with her sterling work to the voters.
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