Two Ford parties to hold polls this month

By BEAUTTAH OMANGA
The two Ford parties are set for grueling elections this month unless the office holders put them off again, as they have done in the past.
Ford People is scheduled to hold national elections on January 20, while Ford Kenya will also set a date this month.
Ford Kenya, currently headed by Nominated MP Musikari Kombo, has dominated the news not on its performance and member recruitment, but wrangles over the leadership and when to go to the polls.
Wrangles in the party have pitted factions aligned to Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa, who is a key presidential contender in Western Province, and former Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetang’ula.
Both Mr Wetang’ula and Wamalwa have put in place aggressive campaigns beyond Western Province with Mr Wamalwa touring Kisii region to win more support for his presidential bid.
It has emerged Wamalwa may not be interested to seek the Ford Kenya leadership, but would only be out to secure position as a delegate, as he networks with like-minded youthful leaders from other parties to put in place an alliance for next year’s General Election.
Strong alliances
"I will seek to be a party delegate. I do not want leadership in Ford Kenya because the next election will be fought on the basis of strong political alliances. It will be beyond Ford Kenya," said Wamalwa.
The new twist may only leave Wetang’ula, who is the Sirisia MP, in the race for the party leadership, but it remains to be seen whether Kombo, who is a close Wamalwa ally will allow Wetang’ula to take over the party leadership.
Meanwhile, members of Ford People will also be electing new leaders ahead of the 2012 polls.
Already, four top politicians, mainly key allies of former powerful Cabinet minister Simeon Nyachae are angling to take on each other, a move that if not well handled, might break the unity that Nyachae left after quitting politics.
Top on the list is the party’s only MP from the larger Kisii Manson Oyongo Nyamweya and former Planning minister Henry Obwocha. Other candidates include former banker James Kenani and outgoing chairman Reuben Oyondi.
Already differences have emerged among the top leaders forcing postponement of the elections of new officials from last November to January 20, this year.
Mr Obwocha, who has been the acting secretary-general defended the postponement, which he said was due to the need to verify the list of delegates.
But Mr Nyamweya disagreed saying the party leadership was aware of the impending election dates and wondered why the office bearers waited until the last minute to seek for more time to scrutinise the lists.
"This is an excuse by some people who feared defeat to try and buy time as they woo delegates to their side," said Nyamweya.
Selling point
The South Mugirango MP has rubbed the Old Guard in the party the wrong way with demands that the party delegates think on electing fresh blood into the party leadership.
Nyamweya’s selling point has all along been that the leaders in office have failed to market and attract support for the party outside Kisiiland when it was once a party to beat. "It is good the party must have a stronghold, which in the case of Ford People is Kisii, but for how long will that be the case? The new Political Parties’ Act demands that all parties have a strong following in all parts of the country and that is what I will strive to bring to the party once elected chairman," said Nyamweya.
It is his view that given he is a sitting MP, he has an added advantage over none MPs in marketing the party beyond Gusiiland.
However, Obwocha seems to disagree. Obwocha wants the delegates to focus on the party loyalty and commitment when they assemble for elections in two weeks time.
"My appeal to the delegates when time comes is that they should elect honest and hard working people not based on handouts," said the former West Mugirango MP.
Obwocha was implying that already some candidates for the party leadership were not worthy of a post given they were already trying to influence outcome through bribery.
But Nyamweya termed the advice by Obwocha as unacceptable and demeaning to the delegates. "No amount of money will influence a delegate to elect a leader not worth his or her salt. We should not look like we want to intimidate the delegates to focus only on the former officials and lock out other leaders," said Nyamweya.
Major takeover
It is interesting that the two leaders who are now talking at each other were all students of Nyachae a few years ago and both hardly raised a finger against Mr Nyachae’s leadership.
During the South Mugirango by-elections held in June, Obwocha assembled a team of seasoned politicians, among them Nyachae’s wife Grace and football administrator Sam Nyamweya to mount a successful campaign that saw Nyamweya trounce former MP Omingo Magara.
Other leaders who have declared interest in leading Ford People include Kinango MP Gonzi Rai, (first vice chairman), Dorothy Miriti (second deputy), and Mr Michael Namayi as secretary-general while Derrick ole Mosiany will be gunning for the post of treasurer.
Speaking separately yesterday, Nyamweya said he was preparing ground for a major takeover and nothing was going to stop him.
"I am the face of the party at the moment and being an MP I am in a better position to represent our party well at the national level. I am not going for the chairmanship as a sign of disrespect to the party office holders, but we must think of our party beyond Kisii region," he said.
The Ford People MP accused the current office bearers of killing the party gradually due to a wanting leadership. "I want to take the party to where it was in 2002 when Nyachae vied for the Presidency. Those who are in office now have failed to give the party membership the leadership they deserve."
He said he will be meeting all other leaders who were keen on challenging him for a ‘deal’, "but if they will insist that I step down for anybody we will all face the party delegates".
On his part, Obwocha, the most vocal party official, said he, too, was preparing for the chairmanship. "We need to consolidate our party supporters across the country in line with the new Political Parties Act requirements," he added.
"I have the vision and capacity to take Ford People to being the national party it was," said Nyamweya.
If the former Nyachae party will remain united and emerge even stronger to take on other parties like ODM, PNU, Kanu and Narc Kenya in the next General Election, only time will tell.