Opposition leader Raila Odinga will be starting his tour in the former Western province from July 18 as he continues to firm up his support base ahead of the 2022 general election.
Interestingly, the former Prime Minister will only tour the three counties of Kakamega, Busia, and Vihiga and he will skip Bungoma.
In these three counties, he will hold several ODM delegates meetings, open ODM offices and address a series of roadside rallies in one of the regions that overwhelmingly supported his presidential quest in 2007, 2013 and 2017.
A press statement released by the ODM party Communications Director Philip Etale on Thursday was, however, categorical that the former Langata MP will not set foot in Bungoma. So why Bungoma?
Bungoma is the home county of former Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetangula who recently cut ties with Raila following his ouster from his Senate Minority Leader's position.
Immediately after his ouster, Wetangula alongside ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi convened a series of rallies in the counties of Kakamega, Vihiga, and Bungoma where they condemned Raila and linked him to Wetangula's troubles.
Since then, the people of Bungoma believe that Raila directed NASA senators to oust Wetangula from his prestigious position and Wetangula himself promised that his removal would be "noisy and will cost some leaders their positions" although he did not name them.
Raila's visit then, after all this drama may not attract the attention it usually does.
The decision to skip Bungoma during his tour could be a calculated move aimed at buying time and easing tension in the devolved unit before he makes a visit there.
Wetangula, among all the NASA co-principals, is the only one who has declared support for Deputy President William Ruto's 2022 State House bid.