By David MwereThe politics of Western Kenya has long been dominated by an awareness of the extreme poverty endemic to that region.
And although there has been debate on whether this poverty is due to the "official marginalisation" of the region or not, the consensus has been that failure of political leadership was at the core of the problem.
A good number of the ordinary people as well as elected leaders of the region, believe that this marginalisation can only end with the election of a Luhyia president. But another view is that what is really needed is economic empowerment, and that this begins with access to finance.
It is in this context that professional players from the region are joining hands to ensure the elusive and often overused cliché, "Luhya Unity" does not just remain a talking shop.
The professionals from all cadres in the region recently met at a city hotel and devised ways of ensuring that a fully fledged bank with local ownership is established.
Richard Ekhalie, who is spearheading the course, says that it is time the economies of Trans Nzoia, Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma and Vihiga were realigned from political brokers outside the region against the highest bidder vulnerability syndrome that has been at play since independence.
The verve is premised on the fact that the region's candidature in the March 2013 general elections, Musalia Mudavadi performed poorly not only in other parts of the country but from the region that he comes from.
The Luhya number about 6.4 million people, being about 16 per cent of Kenya's total population of 40 million, and are the second-largest ethnic group in Kenya.
There are 16 sub-tribes that make up the Luhyia, each with a distinct dialect, namely the Bukusu (Ava-Bukusu), Idakho (Av-Idakho), Isukha (Av-Isukha), Kabras (Ava-Kabras), Khayo (Ava-Khayo), Kisa (Aba-Kisa), Marachi (Ava-Marachi), Maragoli (Ava-Logoli), Marama (Aba-Marama), Nyala (Ava-Nyala), Nyole (Aba-Nyole), Samia (Ava-Samia), Tachoni (Ava-Tachoni), Tiriki (Ava-Tiriki), Tsotso (Abatsotso) and Wanga (Aba-Wanga).
The Bukusu, Maragoli and Banyore are the three largest Luhya tribes in that order.
Normally, as compared to the other regions that fronted their powerful presidential candidates, Mudavadi's support in the region should have been automatic. But this was never the case.
It is such open disenchantment among the masses and the failure to rally behind one of their own that is the driving force, hence the formation of the Obulala movement.
Ekhalie, who is chairing the movement that has also attracted majority of the area elected leaders, says that its main aim is to rally the people to turn out and vote in the future elections.
Available data shows that compared to Nyanza and Central regions that had strong candidates, Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga, in the last elections, Western recorded the lowest percentage of voter turnout.
To address this apathy that borders on the economic situation of the region, the interim chair says that taking a common front in challenging for national political power by developing a mega savings and cooperative movement was the way forward.
The formation of the mega savings and the cooperative movement is a tip of the iceberg that will eventually lead to the setting up of a fully fledged bank. The idea is borrowed to revive the failed attempts by the political class to establish a fully fledged bank in the region.
"As a forum, we are in constant consultation with our political leaders so that they are part of the success story. It is time that we ameliorate the region's economic situation with the sole aim of ensuring development by way of cooperative movement," Ekhalie says.
This he says will edify members by way of exploiting or marketing potential and its natural resources, preservation of the rich Luhya culture as a source of self pride.
There is also the need to ensure that the Luhya people get their fair share of the national cake according to the Constitution of Kenya.
"Obulala Movement is intended to whip all Mulembe fronted parties into championing a common front in matters political and eco-social. It can as well be described as urban-based Luhya professionals and business people organised in chapters of not less than 16 each named after town of residence," Ekhalie says.
It is composed of a loose affiliation of town chapters to the central national leadership of six who set and determine the national agenda. Both national and chapter leadership structures allow for the chairman, secretary, treasurer and three members in a six-member governing committee.
Chapters will caucus through town hall meetings where champions of the course will address members accompanied by invited community leaders subscribing to the tenets of Obulala Movement, and also social media.
Although operating as middle-class driven advocacy group, Obulala Movement is fashioned to inspire grassroots support of the core values. The movement is tailored to achieve penetration to the grassroots through constituency barazas and Chapter launches will be recorded and shared.
Nairobi Chapter is the first Obulala Movement to be established in August 2014 and by virtue of its founding status assumes national governing council role.
Plans are underway to establish Mombasa, Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, vihiga, Kitale, Eldoret and Nakuru Chapters by the end of 2014. We target to establish Chapters in all other major towns in Kenya by the end of 2015.