After Dumping Newbie DAP-K, Butere MP Mwale Gets Direct Nomination Ticket In ODM

NAIROBI, Kenya, 26- Butere Member of Parliament Tindi Mwale has landed himself a direct nomination ticket in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), days after dumping the newly formed Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K).

Mwale will be seeking to defend his seat, now on ODM.

This was announced by ODM leader Raila Odinga, who is on a campaign tour of Kakamega County- an area that has for long been his stronghold but increasingly becoming a battleground.

“We want our people to unite that’s why I looked for Tindi Mwale and told him to come to our camp we fight together. He has come home and we have welcomed him officially to our party,” the ODM leader, who is also the Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate said.

Odinga has found himself on a tight spot, after his closest allies ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and Senator Moses Wetangula of Ford Kenya joined his main competitor Deputy President William Ruto and formed the Kenya Kwanza coalition.

While Odinga still has great influence in the Western region, the exit of Mudavadi and Wetangula from his fold has left him with a major political dent.

“We want to have a third liberation of the economy to our young people and the people of the region. We will help our farmers by reducing fertilizer and seed prices. The business of sugarcane will be established and the Mumias factory will be revived. Our youth will have gainful employment,” Odinga said during a roadside address in Butere.

He was in the company of among other leaders, NARC-Kenya party leader Martha Karua.

He urged the locals to stick with ODM, saying leaders in the Kenya Kwanza coalition cannot help address their challenges.

“Those people cannot help Kenyans and that’s why I ask you people in Butere to work with us. We move forward,” the former Prime Minister said.

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and his Vihiga counterpart Wilberforce Ottichlo were also present.

Odinga also endorsed former Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO) boss Fernandes Barasa to take over from Oparanya, who has served two terms.

“As we pass the baton to Barasa, Oparanya and  I will go to Nairobi where he will help me work from there,” Odinga said.