Politics is expected to take centre stage during the burial of Borabu MP Ben Momanyi’s elder brother Josephat Momanyi who will be laid to rest on Monday, with top political brass from either side of leading coalitions confirming attendance.
Momanyi, a close confidant of former VP Kalonzo Musyoka, who is also the Wiper party leader, is expected to welcome Cord leader Raila Odinga, while government has confirmed attendance of Education CS Fred Matiang’i who will be standing in for President Uhuru Kenyatta.
A faction of locals led by ODM Borabu Youth League leader Moseti Bwong’eri contested the decision to endorse former Kitutu Masaba MP Walter Nyambati to be master of ceremony, and maintained that the incumbent Kitutu Masaba MP Timothy Bosire would be in charge.
“I want to confirm that we want nobody else other than Bosire (Timothy) to introduce all leaders. This is a Cord zone and the man we’ve come to console (Ben Momanyi) is our member. We cannot allow our rivals to hijack the programme,” he said.
Jubilee’s Mokaya Maroko, who was representing Nyambati refused to comment on the matter and said the ultimate decision would be made by the family of the late.
“We have come to mourn and hence I cannot be dragged into party politics. It’s the family to decide but they must ensure that since Matiang’i is representing the president, the MC must be someone who should give him a favorable introduction,” he said.
Family spokesperson Egra Momanyi said the programme was an affair of the family and warned politicizing the event.
“We are mourning one of us and as family; we won’t tolerate any attempts to politicize the funeral. We want all leaders who will attend to be given equal treatment and as the spokesperson, we will unveil individuals who will be in charge before this weekend,” she said.