Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya is increasingly making ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford-Kenya counterpart Moses Wetangula who say the ODM Deputy party leader was being propped up by Raila Odinga as a third center of power in the Western Kenya region.
Last week, Raila Odinga tagged Oparanya along to a meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta and OKA principals at State House in Mombasa, a move which upset Mudavadi, Wetangula, and Kalonzo, who said the meeting was only for party leaders and Raila had erred by bringing with him the governor.
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Reports indicate a follow-up meeting of the Mombasa meeting is expected to happen later this week, after the OKA retreat in Naivasha which kicks of today. The meeting, bringing together the four principals and a technical team responsible for picking OKA presidential flag-bearer will put in place the modalities which the alliance will use in picking its flag-bearer.
Responding to those uncomfortable with his presence at the negotiation table, Governor Oparanya reminded OKA principals angry at him over his attendance of last week’s meeting he was representing interests of ODM and vowed to attend this week’s follow up meeting again, despite protests from ANC and Ford-Kenya.
”Those angry with me, let them know I was representing the biggest political party in Kenya. Even if Raila doesn’t want to go for it, they should know I will be waiting in the wings to seize the moment,” he added.
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According to sources, Mr. Odinga has laid down an elaborate plan targeting the four counties of Kakamega, Busia, Vihiga, Transzoia, and Bungoma to ensure the Western region backs him to the last man next year.
Politicians currently coalescing around the ODM leader in the vote-rich Western Kenya are Governors Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega), Sospeter Ojaamong (Busia), Wilberforce Otichillo (Vihiga), Wycliffe Wangamati (Bungoma), and Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.