Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa made an unusual decision of defending former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in the ongoing Bukhungu Stadium rally standoff
Speaking to residents of the Western Region on Tuesday, December 28, Echesa turned his guns towards Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi over the actions of some of his allies.
In his spirited address, the former CS argued that it was improper for Mudavadi, a Presidential aspirant, to allow his allies to bar Raila's Azimio la Umoja rally from taking place at the stadium.
"I would like to tell Musalia Mudavadi, in all due respect, he has been a Minister and so have I. I must correct him. We will not accept a leader to cause a fallout between the Luhya Nation and other tribes.
"Recently, I saw members of ANC party telling Kenyans in a press briefing that they warned Raila from holding rally in Western," he stated.
Echesa argued that although he had political differences with the former Prime Minister, they always sorted out their issues respectfully.
"You cannot desire to govern the country as the President while causing divisions between your tribe and others. I have had my political issues with Raila but I have never barred him from coming to Western.
"Raila has never barred me from visiting Nyanza," added the former Cabinet Secretary.
His sentiments came on the backdrop of a spat between ANC member and Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala and Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) boss Francis Atwoli.
It all began when Malala vowed to block the former PM and Central Organization or Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli, from accessing the Bukhungu Stadium on December 31.
Atwoli then responded claiming that he had been the force behind Malala's successful political career.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) then summoned the Senator, who surrendered to police, for his actions.
Malala, however, explained that his sentiments were taken out of context and clarified that he had not intended for the remarks to whip out emotions from the public.
