Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Wafula Wamunyinyi has said he will not vie for the Bungoma Senate seat and is instead fronting former United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) secretary-general Mukhisa Kituyi and former Kanduyi MP Lawrence Sifuna as possible Azimio candidates for the seat.
Mr Wamunyinyi noted that he shelved his ambitions for the Senate seat after wide consultations with political analysts and elders from his Kanduyi Constituency.
The Kanduyi MP claimed he has been receiving many delegations who have been urging him to consider facing his former ally, Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula, in the August 9 elections.
But the MP indicated that he will be defending his Kanduyi parliamentary seat, where he will face, among others, former internal security assistant minister Alfred Khang’ati.
“I still feel there is much I can do as I serve Kanduyi residents in the same capacity,” he said.
“Kanduyi Constituency belongs to Kanduyi people and they are the ones who understand me better. They have agreed that I continue serving them in the same capacity,” he said, indicating that he will retain his position as the DAP-K party leader.
Suitable candidate
The lawmaker pointed out that his party will pick a suitable candidate to face Mr Wetang’ula in the August polls.
“We will pick a strong candidate for the senatorial seat to face Wetang’ula. It will be a tough contest,” he said.
During the DAP-K party rally at Bungoma’s Posta grounds last month, Mr Wamunyinyi had announced that the party will field a strong candidate to face Mr Wetang’ula, raising speculation as to whether he would be going for the seat.
The lawmaker, who is serving his third term, had indicated that there were talks for the party field a candidate to dethrone Mr Wetang’ula.
Mr Wetang’ula has been the Bungoma Senator since the start of devolution in 2013 and has always won with a landslide.
Ford Kenya botched coup
Mr Wamunyinyi was a close ally of Mr Wetang’ula, but they fell out after the Kanduyi MP led a botched coup against him in Ford Kenya.
It is believed the coup was orchestrated by Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati and Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyu. The three leaders, who have since moved to DAP-K, had accused Mr Wetang’ula of running the party like his “personal kiosk”.
Mr Wamunyinyi said he is ready to battle it out with Mr Khang’ati for the DAP-K party ticket as he seeks to retain the Kanduyi parliamentary seat
Mr Khang’ati was elected in 2007 on an ODM ticket and unsuccessfully vied twice for the Bungoma gubernatorial seat in 2013 and 2017.
“It is his democratic right to vie for any seat. We in DAP-K believe in democracy and I am ready to face him in the party primaries. The winner will fight to win the parliamentary seat,” said Mr Wamunyinyi.
Should Mr Wamunyinyi sail through the nomination stage, he will face his bitter rival, former Bungoma County Assembly Speaker John Makali, Nairobi businessman Wafula Wambanda, Mr Wafula Wakoli and Bungoma-based businessman Mulunda Khaoya. BY DAILY NATION