Two days after the outspoken Saboti lawmaker Caleb Khamisi challenged Kenya Kwanza Administration to come out clean where they have placed western region on developmental projections, it has emerged that there’s been simmering rift at the upper seat
Khamisi, sought to know the rationale behind KeRRA allocating Kiambu constituency a whopping Sh1.5 billion for road maintenance against western region which comprises of 39 constituencies being allocated a paltry Sh 50 million for the same.
“Kikuyu constituency alone has received Ksh 1.4B for road maintenance while entire western region comprising of 5 counties and 39 constituencies has only Ksh 50M inside Kakamega State Lodge,” Khamisi stated in his X account
He asked Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and the Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula between two of them and the National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah who is number three in the hierarchy of President William Ruto’s government
Following his outburst, it has emerged that on March 2nd, 2024 there was a meeting at State House between the President William Ruto and the two luhya leaders in an attempt to persuade them merger their political parties with the ruling party to get substantial projects from the governement
“Dr Ruto persuaded Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula to dissolve their political parties and join UDA but the two leaders declined his overtures,” A source who sought anonymity revealed to safinews.co.ke on Wednesday 8th May, 2024 at Parliament Buildings.
According to the information, President Ruto had summoned Mudavadi and Wetangula along with their ANC and Ford Kenya allies, to State House on Friday, March 2.
The meeting which was purportedly to address pressing socio-economic issues affecting the Western region, with discussions expected to inform the President’s upcoming Madaraka Day speech in Bungoma, turned to be of political advancements
President Ruto allegedly urged the ANC and Ford Kenya leaders to consider joining UDA, insisting that a public declaration of their support on Madaraka Day would bolster his political standing.
However, Wetangula rebuffed the suggestion and expressed reluctance to merge Ford Kenya with UDA which he described as a “newcomer” in the political arena.
According to insiders, the President’s push for a unified UDA party in the 2027 General Election was met with skepticism from most of the attendees.
Wetangula totally dismissed the idea and cited concerns about sacrificing Ford Kenya’s identity for political expediency.
The meeting is reported to have been concluded without the desired outcome despite the President’s efforts to sway the two Luhya leaders.