Former senator Boni Khalwale has dropped his Kakamega gubernatorial bid in favor of Cleophas Malala ahead of the August 9, General Election.
This was after Deputy President William Ruto and ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi brokered a deal between the two Kenya Kwanza leaders that would now see Khalwale go for the Kakamega Senate seat this year’s elections.
While announcing his decision on Wednesday, March 23, after meeting Kenya Kwanza principals William Ruto (UDA), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), and Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya), Khalwale said that someone was using them as pawns so that they fight each other to scuttle Ruto from winning the Western votes.
“I, therefore, want to confirm that being a student of Michael Wamalwa Kijana, who taught us that when you step back one step, it makes it easier for your community to gain more,
“I want to announce to the people of my community that when you are a utility player, you accept the position that your coach deploys you to. Today I am pleased to inform the rest of the country that I will be vying for the position of senator of Kakamega county,” Khalwale said.
Speaking at Deputy President William Ruto’s official residence in Karen after the two reached a consensus, the deputy president heaped praises on Boni Khalwale of UDA for paving the way for his ANC counterpart Cleophas Malala.
“Today here we witness the experience and knowledge of a senior member of our team Boni Khalwale giving way to the youth and passion of a younger person in our coalition Cleophas Malala,
“This is the experience that we as Kenya Kwanza believe in that there is space for everybody,” William Ruto said.
Khalwale was well poised to take his second stab at the governorship seat on a UDA ticket but the new alliance between UDA and ANC complicated the matter.
