Rural Development minister Cyrus Jirongo said yesterday he will challenge Transport and Communications Minister Musalia Mudavadi for supremacy in Western Province.

"He has been a Cabinet minister for thirteen years while I have been in the Cabinet for about six months. I want you people to free me and let me take him head on,'' he told a fund-raiser at Sinoko in his Lugari Constituency.

The meeting was the first in a series of others to raise funds for the Lugari Bursary Fund.

Mr Jirongo said Mr Mudavadi had been "sleeping" for a long time and could not be considered the point man in Western Province because of his "soft approach" to issues.

Despite the statements, the minister appealed to people in the province to let him and Mr Musalia sort out the issues between them without interference. He accused some politicians who he did not name of promoting "Luhya sub-tribe politics" and urged the people to unite. 

Assistant Minister William Ruto, who gave Sh250,000, helped raise Sh700,246. 

Other guests who attended were Assistant Minister Mohammed Hashim Salim, Lamu Kanu Chairman Twahir Sheikh Said and Assistant Minister Stephen Mukangu.