There was drama in Busia on Saturday as veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga tore into the plans of Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula to merge their parties in a frantic bid to unite the Luhya nation long seen as plagued with divisions.
''People should unite on account of policies and ideology. You don't unite because you are Luhyas. You should unite with like- people minded,'' Raila fired.
Former Kakamega senator, Bonny Khalwale was angered by the stinging words, an anger that showed when he rose to speak.
Mr Khalwale said that the Luhya leaders had no apology to make for plans to unite the Luhyas and called on the former prime minister to support one of their own.
''We as leaders have nothing to apologise for seeking to unite the Luhya nation. I have supported Raila Odinga more than those who shout the loudest and we are asking him that as he goes he should support one of our own,'' a seething Khalwale said.
The exchange comes in the context of unease in the Western region with Raila's decision to meet President Uhuru Kenyatta without engaging NASA co-principals.
That meeting was seen by other NASA principals as betrayal and has formed the basis for the push by Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula to seek to unite the Western region.
They had argued that the divisions within the Luhya nation had rendered the Western region vulnerable to being taken advantage of by leaders from other regions.