Ford Kenya, ODM rift turns violent at Wetang'ula launch
Leaders scamper for safety after teargas canisters were hurled at the dais during Senator Moses Wetang'ula's presidential launch bid at the Muliro Gardens in Kakamega on April 2, 2016. PHOTO | ISAACK AWALE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The battle lines were drawn between supporters of Mr Oparanya and those of Mr Wetang’ula and Mr Khalwale.
Ford Kenya supporters sang in praise of Mr Wetang’ula but the men in orange chanted ODM slogans while carrying aloft Mr Oparanya’s portraits.
There has been a protracted tussle between the two leaders over the use of Masinde Muliro Gardens for the launch.
The name “Muliro” means fire and the gardens in Kakamega after which veteran politician Masinde Muliro are named turned ablaze Saturday, disrupting the launch of Cord principal Moses Wetang’ula’s presidential bid.
Leaders, including Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, had to scamper for safety, partly after the supremacy battle between Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and Governor Wycliffe Oparanya turned violent with teargas canisters being lobbed into the dais.
The otherwise colourful event which attracted a huge crowd had been marked by tension from early morning.
The battle lines were drawn between supporters of Mr Oparanya, who were clad in ODM’s orange colours, and those of Mr Wetang’ula and Mr Khalwale who were dressed in Ford-Kenya’s green.
The Ford Kenya supporters sang in praise of Mr Wetang’ula but the men in orange chanted ODM slogans while carrying aloft Mr Oparanya’s portraits.
There has been a protracted tussle between the two leaders over the use of Masinde Muliro Gardens for the launch with Mr Oparanya vowing to block Mr Wetang’ula from using the grounds.
It ended up being a showdown between ODM and Ford Kenya.
The incident turned ugly after the Ford Kenya supporters, who were the majority, roughed up their opponents, took off their ODM jerseys and Mr Oparanya’s portraits and set them ablaze before chasing them out of the gardens.
The Oparanya team responded by throwing stones at the crowd, causing confusion.
This did not, however, deter the crowd that had turned up as early as 7 am.
The booming music kept the bubbly crowd dancing. Emmanuel Musinde’s bull-fighting song was a particular hit, drawing Mr Khalwale, who has declared he wants to be governor, to the floor to engage in a vigorous jig.
While addressing the crowd, the unmoved Mr Wetang’ula insisted that their choice of venue was not a mistake.
“Your presence and the choice of this venue is a celebration of ideas that our king Masinde Muliro, who this garden is named after, died hoping they would be achieved,” said Mr Wetang’ula.
