A video of former Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale begging governor Wycliffe Oparanya to endorse him for the senatorial seat has elicited mixed reactions on social media.
The events unfolded during a requiem mass of Jamila Injere, ODM’s woman league leader, that was organized at Muslim Primary school earlier this month.
“Joined family, friends and the Kakamega ODM fraternity at Muslim Pr School during the requiem service for their departed woman league leader, Mama Jamila Injere. Assured Gov Oparanya the principle of “perpetual succession of government,” read a tweet by Khalwale.
In the viral video, Khalwale, who is seeking a return in the senate, is heard telling Oparanya to ask the audience to vote for him.
“Khalwale wants me to campaign for him. Khalwale is my friend but the problem is the house which he is in. We are in separate houses. Would you have been here(ODM) I would have left the governor seat for you,” Oparanya responded to Khalwale and immediately went to take his seat.
This video of Oparanya and Khalwale has made my day.
???? pic.twitter.com/CCoprpKtTF— Captain Omar Lali ?? (@OmarLali_) July 8, 2022
The former senator’s move raises questions why he would run to Oparanya for hep yet June opinion polls indicated that he was three times ahead of his ODM competitor Brian Lishenga and such a move would further threaten his relationship with his colleagues in Kenya Kwanza.
His move also came at a time when Azimio-OKA was planning for major campaigns in Western region especially Kakamega and its environs.
Some of the reasons why Khalwale sought for Oparanya’s endorsement include;
The governor is very influential in the county and a word from him is enough to get his supporters to vote for Khalwale. To prove that, the two faced each other in 2017 and Khalwale was shown dust by Oparanya. Oparanya was also endorsed by the Luhya council of elders as the political Kingpin of the region in December last year and his support would be a plus for Khalwale.
Aside from that, ODM is the most powerful party in Kakamega with Oparanya being the deputy party leader. Khalwale would not have taken the step if UDA or Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC were the dominant parties in the county. There is still a high chance of losing to his opponent because locals might prefer the ODM candidate in the actual elections . Therefore by seeking Oparanya’s help he is trying to play safe.
Khalwale is also working on a strategy to appease ODM supporters so that they vote for him and not Lishenga. Khalwale never speaks ill of Raila as Cleophas Malala and Mudavadi have been doing and at one point he even campaigned for Fernandes Barasa, ODM candidate for Kakamega gubernatorial seat in Malala’s rally. He is keen to prove that he is not an enemy of ODM.
Finally, the misunderstandings in Kenya Kwanza that have made it difficult for Khalwale and Malala to campaign together. Remember that Khalwale was forced to forego his gubernatorial ambitions for the sake of Malala, who is way much younger than him. Even though he agreed to step aside, that was a big humiliation for him.
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