Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi has taken charge ahead of President Uhuru Kenyatta's visit to the Western region.
He has taken the lead by inviting leaders from other regions to join Luhya leaders in welcoming President Kenyatta in a tour scheduled for Sunday, August 1.
Mudavadi made it clear that he is not opposed to the idea of ODM leader Raila Odinga accompanying Uhuru during the much-awaited tour.
Attending a funeral in Ikolomani Constituency in Kakamega county, Mudavadi argued that everybody was at liberty to accompany Uhuru to the tour.
He added that he is not scared of his political opponents capitalizing on the visit to push for their ambitions.
"I have no problem on who comes to the Western region. We are also at liberty to visit their regions as long as they fall within the country's border."
The tour ignited the supremacy battle in the Luhya region. Raila allied Governors are at the forefront in pushing to wrestle Mudavadi over control of the tour.
Governors Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) Wilbur Otichillo(Vihiga) and Sospeter Ojaamong (Busia) are pushing to take charge on the tour and also want Raila included.
Oparanya addressing the matter claimed that President Uhuru's tour is purely developmental and it has nothing to do with succession politics.
"We are the leaders on the ground that is why the President asked us to come up with projects that require his attention. There is no politics here," Oparanya stated.
He further stated that most projects which the President will launch were initiated by the county governments which is why they are in charge of the whole tour.
Otichillo dismissed claims that the ODM Governors had hijacked the tour for their personal gains.
"I do not understand his whole furore about the President's visit to our region. What our fellow leaders should be working on is what extra project they should table to the National government during the tour," he stated.
Lugari MP Ayub Savula on the other side rallied Luhya leaders not to take part in the tour if Mudavadi is sidelined.
"We have information that Raila will be accompanying the Head of State during the tour as a way of trying to revamp his political fortunes in our region which are dead and buried," Savula insisted.
Ford Kenya party leader and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula is also expected to be wresting to take charge especially when the head of state heads to his county.
