Wiper Patriotic Front (WPF) party leader Kalonzo Musyoka arrived in Nyanza on Thursday for a much-publicised tour. The Daily Nation said his entourage was "befitting a presidential hopeful". But the tour hit an early setback. The Ker of the Luo Council of Elders, Odungi Randa, declined to receive him. The Nation described Randa as the region's most influential cultural gatekeeper.
The meeting was meant to be symbolic, complete with cultural blessings from the elders. Instead, the Nation said, it turned into a war of words, competing explanations and accusations of political interference. The paper reported that Kalonzo held a rally in Homa Bay Town on November 6.
The Nation's headline says the elders explained why they refused to meet Kalonzo. The available text does not give their reasons. It also carries no response from Kalonzo or his party.