Former Kibwezi Member of Parliament Kalembe Ndile now says he enjoys quite a good admiration in the lakeside city of Kisumu as he does in other parts of the nation.
Speaking on Tuesday, he revealed how locals forced him to address them during his recent trip to the city, claiming that they recognized him despite having visited unannounced.
He said he was on a mission to buy fish and was not recognized at first, but was later surrounded by area youth who forced him to stand on top of his car and speak to them.
"Kuna siku nilienda Kisumu kutafuta samaki na hakuna mtu alinijua lakini niliporudi vijana walisema huyu ni Kalembe, tuhutubie. Nikapanda kwa gari nikawahutubia. (There is a day I went to Kisumu to buy fish and nobody recognized me until when I was returning when the youth identified me. They demanded that I address them. I climbed on top of my car to address them," he said.
He made the remark on Radio Maisha's Bunge La Maisha on Tuesday, adding that he went ahead to bite the bullet and criticize Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga's political strategies.
He said that though the region is predominantly inhabited by Raila's supporters, they keenly listened to him.
"Niliwaambia Tinga saingine si rahisi kupata kiti kwa sababu ya watu anatembea nao (I told them its not easy for Tinga (Raila) to get a seat because of the people he walks with)," he added.
Raila who doubles up as the area political kingpin has lost his four presidential bids, three of which he has blamed on rigging.