NASA Pentagon members Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka, Raila Odinga and Moses Wetangula. [Photo/ Courtesy of RO]
The people of Western are the biggest losers in the NASA lineup of principals, which has ODM leader Raila Odinga as the presidential flag bearer and Wiper boss Kalonzo Musyoka has his running mate. Before Raila was announced as the flag-bearer, any of the NASA Pentagon members stood a chance of leading the coalition. Many expected Musalia Mudavadi, the Amani National Congress (ANC) leader, to be announced as the flag-bearer because he is the one who came up with the idea of uniting the opposition into one political outfit — NASA. He also convinced other party leaders to join the coalition. Instead, Mr Mudavadi, a former vice president, has been reduced to the position of Raila’s presidential campaign leader. The Luhyas now rightfully feel thrown under the bus by Raila and Kalonzo. Months earlier, Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwori had brought leaders of Western together in order to settle on the community’s leader in national affairs. This was not any easy thing to do because unity among Western Kenya leaders has always been an elusive matter during the electioneering period, especially since the death of former Vice President Kijana Wamalwa in 2003. During that meeting, Mudavadi was elevated to the position of the spokesman. Among top contenders to be the NASA presidential flag bearer were Mudavadi, Raila and Kalonzo. But the ANC leader was seen to be more salable — electable — in areas that are traditionally Jubilee strongholds. So the worst that the people of Western expected was for Mudavadi to be a NASA running mate. But did they get? A mere campaign official. At one point, after sensing the games being played by Raila in the discussions to pick the presidential candidate, ANC supporters threatened to leave the coalition if Mudavadi was not picked as the flag bearer. But they were prevailed upon to stay and not publicly show disunity in the coalition. The reason why the people of Western, who are among the leading voting blocks in Kenya — especially now that they seem united — are the biggest losers is that the highest ranking official in NASA from their community is a campaign leader. They clearly don’t deserve this. They were played. It is perhaps why former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo has entered the presidential race. It won’t be surprising if he gets a huge slice of the Luhya vote on August 8.