A section of Nyanza legislators recently announced they will not support another presidential candidate other than Raila Odinga.
This followed proposals to have ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi run as the opposition candidate with Wiper's Kalonzo Musyoka as his running mate in next year's General Election.
This stand is regrettable because it works against Raila's state House bid. If they cannot support another person, then how do they expect other other communities to support Raila? The constitution states a presidential candidate must garner support in at least 24 counties.
This means Raila will need support from other communities to win the presidency and as such, his supporters should stop displaying what seems to be intolerance against members of the communities.
Those opposed to Mudavadi's candidature dismissed the proposal as an 'outrageous' scheme aimed at frustrating Raila's presidential bid, and claimed at no point had Raila indicated he would not run.
If anything, Mudavadi has in the past stood with Raila while they were both in ODM. It is because of Mudavadi's support that Raila got full backing from the Luhya community during the 2007 elections.
In 2013, again Luhyas overwhelmingly voted for Raila courtesy of his partnership with Bungoma Senator Mose Wetangula. Raila should reciprocate the support the Mulembe nation has been giving him by supporting Mudavadi or another leader from the community.