Malala Drops DP Ruto’s image from His Posters

In a poster shared on his social media accounts, Mr. Malala, who is gunning for the Kakamega gubernatorial seat, is spotted with Western Kenya politicians Moses Wetangula of Ford Kenya and Musalia Mudavadi of ANC.

Mr. Malala is part of the Kenya Kwanza alliance which is backing DP Ruto to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.

What’s more, the DP was instrumental in ensuring that Boni Khalwale sacrificed his gubernatorial bid in favor of Mr. Malala.

Dr. Khalwale is instead seeking to succeed Mr. Malala as Senator.

However, Mr. Malala has in the past had posters showing him posing alongside the DP and Mr. Mudavadi.

The move to remove the DP image from his posters comes days after Mr. Malala asked Dr. Ruto to keep off Western Kenya politics.

“You have asked us to deliver 70%  (of the votes) in Western Kenya to get 30% of the government. But your (United Democratic Alliance (UDA) aspirants keep campaigning here (in Kakamega), so how will we achieve your targets?” Mr Malala posed.

Mr. Malala observed that if their alliance resorts to zoning, it might work against their victory.

“There is a need for us in Kenya Kwanza to work as a team. If we continue this way, we stand to lose this county to Azimio,” said Mr. Malala.

He said despite each party fielding candidates for various seats, voters should decide the fate of the contenders instead of parties in the same coalition jostling against each other.

He claimed that UDA was undermining ANC in the Western region to the extent that it had fielded a parliamentary candidate in Mr. Mudavadi’s Sabatia constituency.

“If this is the way to go, then our coming together is deception,” Mr. Malala lamented.

Besides Mr. Malala, the race to succeed outgoing governor Wycliffe Oparanya in Kakamega also involves ODM’s Fernandes Barasa, Suleiman Sumba (Kanu), and Samuel Omukoko (MDP).

In the Senate race are Dr. Khalwale, Brian Lishenga (ODM), and Asha Ngaira (Kanu).