COMEBACK

MPs who lost seats in the 2007 General Election are looking to the referendum to revive their political fortunes.

They are angling themselves in either the ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ teams, hoping the campaign for the new law will catapult them to the political limelight ahead of 2012.

Vice-President

They include former ministers David Mwiraria, Kivutha Kibwana, Henry Obwocha, Raphael Tuju, Njeru Ndwiga, Maina Kamanda, Chris Murungaru, Mukhisa Kituyi and Marsden Madoka.

These politicians lost their seats in the last elections largely owing to the popularity their competitors gained from the Orange ‘No’ vote.

Also in this group were former Vice-President Moody Awori, Cabinets minister Simeon Nyachae and John Koech as well as former Information assistant minister Koigi wa Wamwere and one time Kanu secretary-general Joseph Kamotho.

So great are the stakes that some of the fallen political giants, mostly now in farming, are already in the campaign teams that will steer the approval or rejection of the proposed constitution on August 4.

Given the precedent set by the 2005 referendum, the former MPs are sure of writing themselves in the political hearts of voters regardless of the referendum results.

Some of the politicians who sprung back to popularity based on the referendum were Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Public Works minister Chris Obure, who had lost in the 2002 General Election.

Former minister

Mr Mudavadi was trounced by former minister Moses Akaranga while Mr Obure had lost to Mr Stephen Manoti.

Most of the fallen giants are now seeking a comeback. Moi university scholar Okumu Bigambo agrees: “People want to use the campaigns as launching pads for the 2012 elections, especially for those who had fallen.

“Having been in the political cold for more than two years, those who fell will grab the opportunity to shine.”

Dr Bigambo, the head of communication studies, said even those seeking to vie for the first time will also capitalise on the campaigns.

“The referendum will give people a lot of political mileage,” he said.

Mr Omweri Angima, a programme officer at the Centre for Multiparty Democracy, says “there’s nothing wrong with that as long as they help the course of referendum debates”. Politicians have a right to support either colour, he says.

Politicians who have taken positions include Mr Kamanda, a former Starehe MP, who has joined the push for ‘Yes’, and is playing a crucial part in organising the campaign in Nairobi.

In Western, Dr Kituyi is backing the proposed constitution, in what could thrust him into the limelight after he was felled by Ford Kenya’s Dr David Eseli Simiyu.

In central Kenya, among those in the ‘Yes’ team are Mr Ndwiga, a former Manyatta MP, Mr Matu Wamae (Mathira), Mr Matere Keriri and Dr Murungaru.

In the Rift Valley, Mr Wamwere is opposing the proposed constitution on grounds that it has “bad” clauses. He said he would only support the proposed document if necessary amendments were made.

Former Health minister and Buret MP Paul Sang is opposed to the proposed constitution, so is former Baringo Central MP Gideon Moi. Both were swept away in 2007 by the Orange Democratic Movement wave.

Former Bomet MP Nick Salat, who also lost in the last elections, is firmly in the “No” side and has been teaming up with a Kanu faction to rally people against the new document.

Former Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara is backing the proposed constitution as is Kitutu Chache’s Jimmy Angwenyi.