For sometime now, the Luhyia Nation has been judged to be one of the most undecided communities politically in the Country. This has been greatly due to the fact that the community has never voted 100% for a given political unit.
2022 is fast approaching and with that the Community is already hell bent on making political statements. Two factions have already emerged from the Luhyia Nation with one declaring support for DP Ruto while the other is still destined to finally make it to the promised land with Raila Odinga.
DP Ruto seem to be wining hearts in the Western Region. Ruto has made numerous trips to the region with close followers of the DP reveling that of late, not a week passes without the Country’s second in command being spotted somewhere in Western.
Apart from hosting delegations from the region, in December alone the DP made more than five visits to Western. The latest was on Monday when he attended a bull fighting function in Ikolomani.
Ruto believed that the populous Luhya vote and that of the Kalenjin can help propel him to State House.
Western is made up of five counties and has 1.8 million registered voters, according to the IEBC records: Vihiga ( 267,481 ), Kakamega ( 746,870 ), Busia ( 347,911 ) and Bungoma ( 559,897 ).
In the last election, Jubilee won four parliamentary seats (Mumias East, Navakholo, Malava and Ikolomani) while in Bungoma, the ruling party captured Kimilili, Webuye West, Mt Elgon and Sirisia, denting ODM’s hold of the region.
Ruto is now hoping to build on Jubilee’s presence in the region as he prepares for 2022.
In the second half of last year, not a month passed without him conducting a harambee in Western, launching a development project or in some cases repeating the launch of a road already launched by Kenyatta.
On Monday at Malinya stadium in Kakamega Ruto met Knut representatives from Kakamega South. He later met 500 pastors at Lurambi MP Titus Khamala’s home. He wound up his visit watching a football match in Matungu.
The DP is using politicians, clergymen and teachers to push his way into Western Kenya.
After the handshake between Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga in March last year, Ruto has stepped up his efforts to win over Western Kenya leaders.
His key allies and point men in the region now include Lusaka, former Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale, Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, his Sirisia counterpart John Waluke and Sports CS Rashid Echesa. Others are Mumias East MP Ben Washiali, Navakholo’s Emmanuel Wangwe, Bernard Shinali (Ikolomani), Moses Malulu (Malava) and Dan Wanyama (Webuye West).
Bungoma woman representative Catherine Wambilianga , MPs Moses Mabonga (Bumula) and Omboko Milemba of Emuhaya are in his camp.