A NYAMWEYA IN MATUGA?

The defeat of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in South Mugirango has created anxiety in Matuga as the party prepares for the July 12 by-election.

The Thursday’s outcome that saw Ford People candidate Manson Nyamweya win in South Mugirango is now being seen as an indication of ODM’s waning popularity which analysts believe might be repeated in Matuga.

The open rivalry between party leader and Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Higher Education minister William Ruto is said to have cost ODM the South Mugirango seat.

However Mr Hassan Mwanyoha, the ODM’s candidate in Matuga who had been endorsed by Mr Odinga, says he has marshalled support from the grassroots and is confident of a triumph against Chirau Mwakwere of PNU and UDM’s Kassim Tandaza.

The entry of Mr Tandaza, whose party is allied to Mr Ruto, is already setting the stage for a tough encounter that would split the ODM vote.

Village network

Kwale county council chairman Mshenga Ruga said Mr Mwakwere has constituted committees consisting of 20 people in every village to campaign for him.

“It is very costly to maintain the committees but it is a better method and is working very well. Areas like Ng’ombeni, Waa and Tiwi were initially regarded as ODM zones in 2007 but that is not the case any more,” he said.

He had earlier on said that even if ODM was to win in South Mugirango, the results would not have affected the voting pattern in Matuga and even if they did, it would be by a negligible margin.

But while counter attacking these contentions, ODM youth leader in the area, Mr Hamisi Rachuo, said that going by statistics, the party supporters were still intact.

“We have been traversing the constituency everyday and I have no doubt that Mr Mwanyoha will take the seat which he has been robbed off during the last two elections. There is no reduction in numbers of our supporters,” he said.

Likely winner

An ODM supporter from Golini, Mzee S.K Mwakulola, said Mr Mwanyoha is close to voters and knows their problems and was likely to win the seat which fell vacant after the elections were nullified by the High Court.

“Mwakwere abandoned us when he went to Parliament claiming that he was too busy. We shall not take him back because we have learnt our lesson,” he told the Sunday Nation.

On his part, Mr Tandaza said he had been inspired by the youth, most of who were yearning for a younger representative for a change.

Meanwhile, smear campaigns have already started.

Some candidates have raised claims of intentions to manipulate the manual voters’ register in order to sneak in fake ballot papers.

The register, which is currently being inspected for any errors and subsequent correction, is the one to be used during the by-election.

But according to Mr Mwanyoha, there is a scheme to include names of ghost voters. IIEC deputy returning officer Harun Iddi has however promised that the exercise would be transparent.