By Dickens Wasonga.
Five presidential hopefuls from the Western Kenya region who have since declared they will contest the seat in the 2012 general elections are not serious candidates, minister Wycliffe Oparanya has claimed.
Speaking in Rarieda constituency on Friday last week, Oparanya who is the planning minister dismissed as ”passing cloud” the candidacy of MPs Eugine Wamalwa [Saboti], Cyrus Jirongo [Lugari], Moses Wetangula [Sirisia] and Wakoli Bufwoli [Bumula] which should not worry other serious contestants.
The minister said the declaration by the five to seek the presidency was not genuine but a plot hatched by those opposed to Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s presidential bid, hoping they will split the western Kenya votes come the polling day.
The Butere MP claimed the same politicians were behind the sustained calls to have deputy prime minister Musalia Mudavadi declare his interest in the presidential race.
He said it was clear that Mudavadi would be Raila’s running mate adding that the schemes to divide the Luhyia leadership will this time round flop.
” These are moles.Most of them are too broke to mount any significant presidential campaign machinery.What they want is to pretend to be in the race so that they are bought off by strong and serious candidates or play the role of moles but we already know that.We must tell our people to be on the look out so that they are not duped.” said Oparanya.
He however challenged those who have ID cards from Nyanza and western regions to ensure they register in large numbers when the electoral body begins voter registration in the next two months.
Oparanya observed that in the past elections in the areas have been marred by low voter turnout which usually act against the candidates running for various seats from the two provinces and urged them to ensure they cast their ballot.
” In the past elections, only about 70 per cent of registered voters from Nyanza turn up to vote while in Western just about 65 per cent do so. During campaigns , you attend rallies in huge numbers and give the impression that you have a solid support but in the polling day, its a different story.You really let us down” He said.
Oparanya who was accompanied in a tour of CDF projects in Rarieda constituency by the Arabela MP Nicholas Gumbo and Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo also asked his colleagues to ensure the fund is not scrapped.
While supporting the minister on the continued existence of the fund Midiwo said the infrastructural development that government has managed to put in place since the introduction of CDF in 2003 can not have been possible.
Midiwo claimed a section of ministers and MPs who were opposed to devolution were out to see the fund done away with so that other regions that relied on the fund to develop remains behind.
” Kenyans wanted the government to devolve resources and CDF has archived a lot and we must support it further existence because that is the way to ensure resources are equitably distributed.” said Midiwo.
Oparanya at the same time asked his colleagues to ensure all CDF projects are fully completed by June next year.
” We want to start on a new chapter. We do not want the incoming MPs who will be elected in the forth coming polls to inherit incomplete projects like was the case in the last elections.” said the minister.
ENDS