Former Kakamega Senator Dr Boni Khalwale has put to task three politicians from Western Kenya for allegedly failing to campaign for ODM in the just-concluded Ugenya and Embakasi South by-elections.
Khalwale accused Central Organization of Trade Union (COTU) boss Francis Atwoli, ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna and ODM Director of Communications Philip Etale of failing to rally Luhyas behind the Raila Odinga-led party candidates to ensure their victory.
"Gentlemen, please don’t take these matters to the heart. Mambo ya elections saa zingine hayaeleweki. (Sometimes you may fail to understand elections matters). What we don’t understand is why your Baluhyia political giants (Atwoli/Eliud Sifuna/Philip Etale) didn’t ask their kinsmen to turnout and vote for the ODM party," Khalwale tweeted on Saturday.
The former Senator was referring to the loss of ODM's candidate Chris Karan who lost to David Ochieng of little known Movement of Democracy and Growth (MDG) in Ugenya.
Ochieng garnered 18,730 votes to defeat Karan who got 14,507 votes.
In Embakasi South by-election, Irshad Sumra of ODM garnered 7,988 while Julius Mawathe of Wiper Movement was declared the winner after getting 21,628 votes.
Both Karan and Sumra were given direct nominations by party leader Raila Odinga, a move that caused dissatisfaction from a section of politicians allied to the Orange party.