Nairobi County Senator Johnson Sakaja has hit out at a section of Western Kenya leaders who have lamented of being demeaned during Saturday's Mashujaa day celebrations in Kakamega.
Speaking after the event, former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale condemned the exclusion of Western Kenya leaders in the list of speakers.
He took issue with the failure to recognise among others, Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetangula.
Speaking on Radio Jambo on Tuesday evening, however, Sakaja observed that the leaders did not appeal to the crowd to acquire recognition.
Citing the case of opposition leader Raila Odinga where the crowd pushed to have him address them, he said that the two had no influence enough to have themselves considered.
"Public demand lazima iheshimiwe. Watu walipotaka Raila aongee alipewa nafasi akaongea (public demand must be considered, and it contributed to Raila's speech in Kakamega)," he said.
Wale viongozi wa upinzani ambao hawakupewa nafasi ni kwa maana wananchi hawakutaka waongee. Sivyo wangesukuma hadi wapewe nafasi.
(if they were not allowed to speak, its because Kenyans present did not want them to.Otherwise, they would have been recognised)," he added.
Also present was the Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) party leader and immediate former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, who was equally left out of the list of speakers.
Raila was welcomed to the podium by the Deputy President William Ruto.