Luo Council of Elders allied to Ker Willis Opiyo Otondi has condemned another section of elders who inaugurated Nyandiko Ongadi as the Luo elder.
The elders, Peter Nyangaga Akoth and Adhiambo Lomo said the demand by the Ongadi team to have former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to step in and talk to them to end the wrangles in the council was in bad taste.
Lomo said making such statements belittle the status of Raila and reducing the community to a laughing stock.
“How can some elders who have rebelled demand that Raila talks to them, it is an uncalled for statement from those elders and they must withdraw it,” said Lomo.
He said such elders owe the former Premier an apology noting that the presidency of Raila in 2017 does not depend on the unity of elders in the Luo community.
In a press release to the media houses on Thursday, Lomo termed the Ongadi group as masqueraders out to divide the Luo community.
He said the position of Ker is not political and wondered why the group was playing politics.
“It is within the constitution of Luo Council of Elders that we don’t indulge in politics, we stick to our core mandate of teaching culture and giving direction to our people,” the statement read.
Over the weekend, some elders installed Ongadi as the chairman of Luo Council of Elders following the death of Meshack Riaga Ogalo later in the year and called on Raila to ensure Ongadi is respected as the chairman if he is keen to become president in 2017.