Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale has announced he will join the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ahead of the 2017 elections and use the Orange party to retain his seat.
This comes only days after the bullfighter had on Thursday in Homa Bay predicted – quite correctly – that the Luhya community will vote for Raila Odinga en masse on his last victory lapse.
The announcement by the Kakamega democrat, among the country’s most senior legislators, and western kenya’s bull hero, is likely to send several political weaklings back to the drawing board, as he will surely reshape ODM politics in western, and, most likely, emerge a top contender for the presidency in post-2017 years.
But more interesting is the thawing of relations between the Kakamega senator and ODM party leader Raila Odinga. The two politicians, albeit fighting for the same causes, have always been on different political formations which sometimes are antagonistic to each other.
While fraternal, nothing can be bad news to the reactionaries in the right as a combination of Khalwale and Raila, for it surely shall put the western grid under lock, with the key thrown in Lake Victoria or River Nzoia.
A grassroots maverick, Khalwale brings to ODM what Deputy President William Ruto took away to URP – the ability to mobilize by speaking to the hearts of people – and what the death of Otieno Kajwang took to the grave – campaign rhetorics that capture the psyche of the larger kavirondo.
Many agree the thousands of votes which UDF presidential candidate Musalia Mudavadi garnered in the last election came as a result of Boni Khalwale pitching for Mudavadi, now a Jubilee tissue paper.
A bloc vote in the western grid will be terrible for President Uhuru, considering Rift Valley may just vote angrily again, but this time, that anger will likely be directed to higher altitude areas. President Uhuru will also be shocked that money can’t buy anything beyond Nandi Hills.
On his twitter account (and you should follow him), Khalwale tweeted that he is on his way to ODM, though prefer to maintain the current status quo, that is, finish his term on UDF as he sets his gaze to Kenya’s most popular party.
I wish to affirm that I regret being in UDF,i wish i would contest my senator seat on ODM ticket,next time i will,Luhya vote for Raila 2017
— Boni Khalwale (@BoniMtetezi) February 8, 2015