COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has asked the Luhya community to forgive him for endorsing “cowardly” Musalia Mudavadi as the community’s spokesperson.
Atwoli said the Amani National Congress Party boss exhibited his cowardice when he failed show up at Raila Odinga’s swearing-in at Uhuru Park on Tuesday.
He said never again will he support him. He also said that he called the ANC boss asking him if he would attend the event but he said he would not because he would be arrested since the event was illegal.
“I told him that he was the one who feared arrest. He is a coward and I will not back him again,” said Atwoli as quoted by the star adding, “He [Mudavadi] abandoned Odinga at the hour of need … I will never support him again.
He spoke at the funeral of activist Ken Wafula in Soy, Likuyani constituency.
Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula was absent at the event. Kalonzo said he could not have gone to the event without his security detail which was withdrawn by the government moments before he headed out.
Atwoli had endorsed Mudavadi as the Luhya spokesperson in a colourful ceremony at Bukhungu stadium in December 2016.
This was after a survey by the University of Nairobi Political Science department showed that Mudavadi was the most popular politician in Western Kenya with an approval rating of 39 per cent.
However, Atwoli pleaded with the community, “I am sorry to the Luhya community for endorsing Mudavadi. Someone like Mudavadi, who wants to be a president one day, should never be afraid of anything.”
But Senator Moses Wetangula was quick to dismiss Atwoli’s claims that Mudavadi is a coward saying that Mudavadi’s absence at the self-inauguration of Raila was “tactical”.
Wading into 2022 politics vis-à-vis the Luhya community, he said they have to go back to the drawing board because Luhya’s do not have the right leaders.
“Luhyas must review their position ahead of 2022. We should not allow ourselves to be misused or used to fill up votes for others.”