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| Budalangi MP Wanjala talks to DP Ruto at Sigiri bridge. [Photo: Jane Chelagat] |
Deputy President Dr. William Ruto continued his weekend traverse of the country. On Friday 7th, he led the Tangatanga squad to Budalangi, in a poorly attended strings of events including the re-launching of the Lower Nzoia Irrigation Project and an AGM at Budalangi High school.
The visit has left analysts confused over the absence of area leaders and MPs from Western Kenya save for Mumias legislator Benjamin Washiali.
Doubled up with the poor reception of the DP in the area, political pundits argue that the absence of MPs from Busia county is a clear signal that the border county is still deeply rooted in ODM and do not subscribe to the loitering agenda of the DP. However, the DP reaped big by bagging the area legislator to his team.
Raphael Wanjala’s Defection
Budalangi MP Hon RBS Wanjala played host to the DP and had a roundtable with him before the day’s events kicked off. Sources close to the legislator have confirmed that the MP has been jogging to get a seat in the Tangawizi bus . The DP confirmed yesterday that Wanjala has been a frequent visitor to his office, visiting to discuss about ‘development agenda’
A highly placed source at the DPs Harambee Annex office confided in us that Wanjala has resorted to support the DP in exchange of some unclarified amount of money. The legislator has been in bad books with pending bank loans and Shylocks on his neck ready to auction his last of wealth. The defection was to be announced at a gathering in Budalangi high school yesterday but did not happen due to the low turnout despite the DP spy and strategic team investing five million shillings for mobilization of people to attend.
Ababu Namwamba loud absence
Foreign Affairs CAS who is the senior most government official from the county was also missing in action. Sources around the DP did not comment on his conspicuous absent having been known to be closest of buddies since their days in ODM when he brought the DP, the then minister for Agriculture to Bunyala land in 2009.
Busia based political analyst James Bwire said that Ababu may have missed the function because being a government officer, it would be prudent enough “not to attend political rallies dressed as launching projects ” at a time when the president has insisted on delivery.
Our efforts to reach Hon. Namwamba for his comments were futile as his phones did not go through. A source close to him told the Star Media that the CAS was on a busy schedule holding brief for CS Ambassador Monica Juma who is in Canada with President Uhuru.
Ababu has taken a low political profile since his appointment to the diplomatic enclaves. He is said to have taken the presidential order to shelve politics and give his all to nation building.
Deep sources close to the DP and the CAS indicate that the DP approached him to accompany him to Budalangi but the Washington trained attorney who has seamlessly transitioned from his hardliner active politics to concentrate on his works of diplomacy excused himself from the trip at the eleventh hour to attend to a high profile Chinese delegation on behalf of the president.
Other analysts say that it was a tactical move by Ababu to miss the event though he had given his blessings to the DP to visit his home area.
Big Blow to ODM
The emerging political occurences in Budalangi has been a big blow to ODM supremo Raila Odinga who was jabbed by both Ruto and Wanjala at the meeting.
“We should focus on development of building roads, dams and mitigation of floods, not politics of kitendawili which will not help the wananachi” Ruto said .
On his side, Wanjala tried to carefully choose his words on Raila, but later bashed him for unhelpful cooperation. The MP endorsed Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid, opening a Pandora’s box from the ODM loyalists.
ODM bloggers and officials lashed at the MP whom they described as a ‘turncoat and a certified flip-flop’ who has never had a stand in politics..
Wanjala has hopped from parties, notably Ford Kenya, UDF, TNA and Jubilee, ODM and he’s now the newest entrant to the Tangawizi movement, joining just days after Khalwale’s defection to Jubilee.
Lower Nzoia Project Launch
William Ruto launched the LNP phase II project , a Vision 2030 project conceptualized in 2012 and approved by cabinet. At the moment, both Ruto and Namwamba, then MP and minister for Youth Affairs and Sports ,sat in cabinet and were key in seconding the project for World Bank funding.
The project design phase ensued and was approved by the Vision 2030 implementation team and forwarded to World Bank for funding. On October 1st 2013, the project was launched.
The project is set to be complete by 2021 and it leaves many questions unanswered. What was the essence of relaunching what was launched 7 years ago?
Pro-government actors say that it is a normal launching spree of the Sugoi king who exploits such moments for political recruitment. The signing of Wanjala to the Tangatanga squad has placed it at loggerheads with his ODM benefactors who threw him a political lifeline in 2017 which he won with a small margin after ten years in the political cold and a jail term in India after he was convicted for drug trafficking in 2009.
Disciplinary Action
ODM’s director of elections and a close ally of party leader Raila Mr. Junet Mohammed said that the party’s investigative organs will delve into the matter and prefer suitable disciplinary charges against the MP. The same sentiments were echoed by party Chairman John Mbadi who said that ‘any disloyalty and disrespect to the party and its leadership will be dealt with as per the party rules.’
Wanjala becomes the first MP from the ODM stronghold of Busia to ditch the party and support Ruto’s 2022 bid.
We tried to reach the MP for his comments on his move but he did not respond to our calls and messages.