Kakamega Senator Cleopa Malala has hit out at a section of Western Kenya politicians who have been busy drumming up support for Deputy President William Ruto in the region.
Speaking in Kakamega on Saturday, Malala bashed at the likes of his predecessor Boni Khalwale who has been trying to sell Ruto's presidential bid in the region.
He noted that the region shall only follow serious leaders especially with regards to the 2022 presidential elections, and not people like Khalwale who are living on Ruto's money.
"We cannot trust leaders like Boni Khalwale to lead us to a formidable coalition headed to 2022 yet they have created a habit of running to Ruto for financial help and humiliating our community,” the Senator was quoted by the Standard.
Malala stressed on the need for the community to be on the watch out to avoid landing in the opposition after 2022, stressing on the need for it to be part of the willing alliance.
He said that the job of guiding the Luhya community is better left in the hands of Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi, on a condition that he delivers.
But at the same time, the vocal legislator noted, the former Deputy Prime Minister must ensure that he only joins an alliance which will propose him as the presidential running mate.
“We must rally behind one of our own and we have given Musalia Mudavadi one last chance to show us the way forward and chose carefully on whom to work with,” Malala noted
Both Ruto and Mudavadi have expressed interest in participating in the race, which will mark Mudavadi's second shot, after his loss in 2013 one where he appeared a distant third.
Ruto, on the other hand, will be taking his first shot and appears to have launched an assault in Western Kenya, where he has won a number of politicians he will obviously be using in 2022.