Francis Atwoli: I Spent Ksh.200M To Make Musalia Western Kingpin

Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) secretary-general Francis Atwoli now claims that he molded ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi’s political path.

According to the outspoken secretary-general, he has gone as far as spending his personal funds amounting to Ksh.200 million to finance the Bukhungu I rally that sought to endorse Mudavadi as the Western Kenya kingpin.
“When the late Prof George Eshiwani was almost dying, he told me ‘Francis, don’t let Musalia go alone, try to assist him and support him’,” Atwoli told KTN News on Wednesday.

“I was fulfilling the promise that was made to me by the late George Eshiwani; support Musalia to become a Luhya spokesperson.” He added: “I supported Musalia to become a Luhya spokesman. I wanted to create a tribal kingpin. I spent Ksh.200 million to create a Luhya spokesperson.”

Atwoli downplayed Mudavadi’s influence in the Western region despite his ‘crowning’ as the region’s leader, saying that the ANC boss cannot command a rally.
“He is still the spokesperson but has never held a public rally in Bungoma, Busia, Trans Nzoia, even in his Vihiga turf! You can only hear him at funerals or at the Friends Church in Maringo or Kawangware,” said the self-styled Luhya spokesperson.

The Western region voters, according to Atwoli, have stopped supporting Musalia and thus his recent pact with Deputy President William Ruto to win influence in the region is insignificant.
“From 2017 up to this time, I have told him to let us support him and have a big rally because we wanted him to seal Western.. He has now been left by the mulembe nation,” Atwoli claimed.

At the same time, Atwoli further advised the remaining One Kenya Alliance principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Gideon Moi to rally their support behind ODM leader Raila Odinga if they want to remain relevant in Kenyan politics.
“OKA should move fast and make a decision. Kalonzo knows what he should do and should not delay. He should emulate the late Paul Ngei when he abandoned his own party to join KANU,” he said.

He added: “Kalonzo is always against corruption, I don’t see Kalonzo going to UDA. It is better to be on a winning team. OKA should join Raila now to get relevance because if they don’t, they will become irrelevant after August.” 

Inka FM