Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale had to face off with youth who demanded to have him end his speech in Kibra during a campaign rally for Jubilee Party's Kibra candidate McDonald Mariga.
On Friday morning, November 1, Khalwale attacked ODM leader Raila Odinga, blasting him for fighting Mariga's political ambitions in Kibra.
According to Khalwale, Odinga was a seasoned politician who had strategised to fight leaders from the Luhya community. The ex-Senator alleged that Odinga led the 1997 Ford-Kenya opposition against the late Vice President Kijana Wamalwa. The two faced off during the inter-party elections which Odinga won but later pulled out of the party to form his own party, National Development Party.
"If someone was fighting Michael Kijana Wamalwa then he should know that Mariga is a young politician. Mariga does not deserve being fought against by that veteran politician.
"I want to tell Odinga that Mariga is going to be our MP whether you like it or not," Khalwale lashed out with comments that irked the crowd.
As he continued speaking, dragging in the names of other Luhya community leaders who squared off with Odinga in the past, the crowd got more agitated.
They started gesturing that his time on the podium was over and demanded him to step off. Khalwale tried to calm them down with prevailing political phrases that seemingly hype the youth and even reverted to speaking the Luhya dialect, but all was in vain.
Mariga finally took over the public address and wooed the crowd with his manifesto. The ex-footballer promised to uplift the talents of football players through raising a football club, compensate the post-election violence victims, build schools to change the lives of Kibra residents.
"When I was playing football, everyone adored me. When I decided to try my hand in politics, they turn against me and abuse me.
"I am a youth and I have the obligation to respect them. Even if they abuse me, I will relent and humble down, focus my energy on changing the lives of Kibra residents," Mariga steered clear of Khalwale's sentiments against Odinga
Jubilee and ODM are gearing up for their final preparations towards the Kibra by-election slated for Thursday, November 7. The parties have two days left to campaign in Kibra and both of them have planned to hold mega rallies on Sunday, November 7.
