By DANIEL OTIENO danotieno@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Saturday, March 12 2011 at 22:00
Posted Saturday, March 12 2011 at 22:00
In Summary
- By-election will be a litmus test for the region, says Shinyalu MP
A major political battle is in the offing in Ikolomani.
Although the electorate are yet to know when they will go to the polls to elect their representative, political realignments are already taking place with ODM maintaining it was robbed of the seat in the last General Election.
The Ikolomani seat fell vacant after the High Court nullified the election of Boni Khalwale on February 18. Justice Isaac Lenaola ruled against the New Ford Kenya MP, saying his election had not been free and fair.
National political stakes are high in the upcoming by-election. The ODM party led by Musalia Mudavadi will be out to prove that the High Court ruling that nullified Mr Khalwale’s election was proof they had lost the seat unfairly in 2007.
Win support
Western Province has recently hosted 2012 presidential hopefuls, including Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua and Eldoret North MP William Ruto, on a mission to win support from a region that has a reputation of not solidly supporting a single candidate.
And in no other region have so many candidates declared interest in the top seat. Eugene Wamalwa, Cyrus Jirongo, Bifwoli Wakoli and Moses Wetang’ula have all stated their interest in seeking the presidency in 2012.
Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito maintains that, indeed, the by-election would be a litmus test for the region.
“ODM will be going for nothing less than a win in the battle to assert its supremacy. I know many people will be spending sleepless nights to push through political parties’ agenda, but for us it is a major test,” he said.
Indeed, anything less than a victory would dent the credibility of ODM leader Raila Odinga who has opted to part ways with rebel MPs from the Rift Valley and is trying to reach out to their electorate and build new political alliances.
Assistant minister George Kahiniri told the Sunday Nation that Benerd Shinali, the petitioner who contested the seat in 2007 on a Liberal Democratic Movement ticket, had already defected to the ODM.
“We called all those who have shown interest in the seat to a meeting last weekend, and we were lucky that they all agreed that we spare our energies and resources for the main battle; hence the decision to by-pass the party primaries,” he said.
But he added that all other political parties would also be eyeing the seat as a launching pad into the region.
Although word had been going around in the constituency that Dr Khalwale would be shifting to the ODM camp, he denied the claims but was still quick to put in kind words for the Orange party.
“ODM has positioned itself as a party that is pro-reforms and anti-corruption driven. These are the ideals I have stood for with the party’s MPs in Parliament. I think they should not field candidate against me because we stand for the same ideals,” said Mr Khalwale.
No room
Mr Khaniri said that “the doors are locked. There is no longer room for Johnny-come-latelies. ODM is all set to prove that the ground has shifted considerably in its favour”.
According to Mr Khalwale, PNU and its allies will once again field candidates “as they have done in the past, but that is no big issue for me. I know it’s a hot cake for most political parties to seek to assert themselves through this seat.
He said he was not banking on the support of the big political parties but was instead busy building a grassroots network.
Ford Kenya also has an eye on the seat and in it sees an opportunity rebuild its stature as a formidable party that once ruled the region.
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