Opinion by Mweresa Likudu, Kitale
Luhya community in 2021 looks like a tough people if going by the overtones the world has been treated to during a 14 day moment of mourning the passing on of Mama Hannah, mother to Hon. Musalia Mudavadi. Many people from all walks of life, trade, religion, class and creed came to Mululu gardens in Karen, Friends Ngong rd. church and finally at Mululu village to bid farewell to a noble soul that lived beautifully!
Mama Hannah as she was fondly called, was indeed a beautiful soul, noble in words and deed. In her beautiful rest, she has united a nation, a country and politics of it. She brought a sense of oness, a union of sorts in a deeply divided nation called Luhya. There is no individual known in the nation who wanted to remain behind, all came, all saw and the beautiful soul of Mama Hannah united them all.
A semblance of togetherness has finally come to the fore, bridging the deep divisions that have been created by Luhya politicians for selfish reasons. Politicians have seemed to heal from their maiden malady of charlatanism. They have sung the song and I believe the rural folks have heard them. They have displayed their chauvinism and I hope the nation has noted.
It is not a new scene , a new way of playing politics in Luhya Nation but what is of worth noting is that, the politics that played out in the burial of Mama Hannah have left the beneficiary of Luhya divisive politics reeling from shock. Of primary importance is the rebuttal from Governor Anyang Nyong who seemed to down play the emerging sense of oness around Mudavadi. He looked rubbed in the nerve when he stood to speak at Mama’s Burial.
He chose to tell off voices championing Mudavadi for president. While majority of Luhya speakers had endorsed Mwana Wa Hannah, Anyang Nyong appeared angered by their remarks ” Mudavadi for president” He made a concoction of weird words that were contrary to what the noble speakers had said. It wasn’t long before Senator Amos Wako disputed him as he declared that there can be no stability without a good leader. And that leader is Musalia Mudavadi.
Speaker after speaker added their voice endorsing Mudavadi for president, but when former prime minister stood to speak he looked disturbed by Mudavadi’s endorsement by his brothers and just like Anyan nyong, he detoured and in other words said, ” I don’t endorse Mudavadi” He went in wrong and long stories only to dismiss Luhya unity and Mudavadi endorsement. He is one politician who has lost big in Luhya politics and with more calls landing on Mudavadi, the former prime minister feels dethroned and recovery is impossible.
Whether former prime supports Mudavadi for President or not, the truth on the ground is, Luhya politics is purely shifting into horizon of Mwana wa Hannah. Mudavadi force is taking on foreign elements that have confused and made Luhya politics their battle field. With Mudavadi emerging as the right choice to take on state house, former prime minister and his chunk of supporters is hurt because they cannot claim any grip on national politics without the big Luhya voting block.
Mudavadi factor can deny Raila presidency, but Raila factor cannot deny Mudavadi presidency.
This is the bitter reality, in Kenya many people want Mudavadi as president compared to people who want Raila for President. Big investors believed Mudavadi is the right material for economy instead of Raila. So for Raila to stand in the heart of the Luhya nation and dismiss Luhya people coalescing around Mudavadi for president as inconsequential is a political ploy that he believes will only help him.
He knows if the people calling and endorsing Mudavadi will continue doing so, he will definitely stand no chance to win a seat in western Kenya. Someone should whisper to former prime minster that, time is up, he should begin preparing for Mudavadi presidency, it is coming and coming very fast.
As a competitor, he should brace himself for a brutal battle in the heart of Western Kenya. There can be no national cohesion if the Luhya people are divided. National cohesion must begin with Luhya people coalescing around Mudavadi and moving forward to national unity. With everything said and done, the nation mourned Mama Hannah, the noble soul from bushangala village, the beautiful soul that lit hearts of millions.
Opinion by Mweresa Likudu, Kitale
