Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa has declared support for Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi in the coming 2022 polls.
Echesa, who has been an ardent supporter of Deputy President William Ruto, said Kenyan politics have gone tribal and that it was time for the Luhya nation to ascend to power.
“I cannot be a supporter of another person. If anyone wants, he or she should come and sit with Musalia [Mudavadi] together with us so that we can form government together,” he said on Saturday while addressing mourners at the burial of Jascah Afandi at Mung’ang’a village in Mumias East constituency, Kakamega County.
Read: Former Sports CS Rashid Echesa Arrested In Connection With Matungu Killings
Since his sacking, Echesa has in the recent past made several appearance alongside former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, in DP Ruto’s events.
Echesa said a lot is happening in the corridors of politics and that there was need for the Luhya nation to prepare to clinch the Presidency come 2022.
“I want to encourage Mudavadi to be brave and embark on galvanising the entire region, he is the most popular leader in Western,” he said.
He challenged Mudavadi, who was in attendance, to be more serious if he wants to lead the nation.
“I am ready to use anything to ensure that a Luhya is president of this country but I want Musalia to be more aggressive. If it means being a gentleman, you have been enough. Now stamp your feet on the ground,” he added.
Also Read: Rashid Echesa Was Sacked For The Same Reason He Was Hired – Ruto
Faulting external forces for the community’s divisions, the former CS said some people are being used to undermine Mudavadi’s influence in the Western region.
“We know some local politicians have been colluding with the National Intelligence Service to come up with cooked ratings in terms of popularity in the region to undermine my elder brother Mudavadi, we shall not entertain that,” said Echesa.
Also Read:Ex-CS Rashid Echesa Demands An Apology From The Star Over Alleged Defamatory Story
On his part, Mudavadi said that Western was not a cattle ring where everyone seeking the country’s leadership rashes to for quick political acquisition.
“I have supported others. I have supported former President Moi, Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga. In 2013 when I contested for the presidency, they said that I was spoiling for Raila. I formed NASA in 2017 and backed him. There are no debts now,” Mudavadi said.
He later took to his Twitter handle to welcome Echesa to ANC.
ANC Party is for all Kenyans! Come, let's work together. Welcome on board brother Rashid Echesa. pic.twitter.com/PtsRnvcqNn
— Musalia W Mudavadi (@MusaliaMudavadi) June 8, 2019
Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, whom Echesa was recently arrested with over Matungu killings, also attended the funeral.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@kahawatungu.com or WhatsApp +254707482874. You can also find us on Telegram through www.t.me/kahawatungu
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
