ODM, PNU to fight it out

By STEPHEN MAKABILA and ROSELYNE OBALA Political parties lining up candidates for the Kamukunji and Ikolomani by-elections have to meet Thursday’s nomination deadline to remain in contention for the May 23 exercise.
Candidates nominated to run for the two seats are supposed to return their nomination papers to the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) on April 27 and 28, after which the campaign will take off oficially.
ODM has nominated Benard Shinali as its candidate for Ikolomani. Mr Shinali was issued a nomination certificate by party Secretary General Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o some weeks ago.
The Party’s Election Board Secretary Joseph Misoi told The Standard yesterday its candidate for Kamukunji would be known tomorrow.
"We are yet to make our final decision, but chances are Ahmed Ibrahim may take the ticket," added Dr Misoi.
In a dilemmaPNU, on the other hand, appears to be in a dilemma on what criteria to use to select its candidate for the Kamukunji by-election without provoking a revolt and a fallout as happened in Juja and Makadara last year.
The difficulties in picking a candidate were evident last week when the party changed planned nomination date from last Friday to tomorrow Wednesday, a day to the deadline dateline.
"This time round we won’t repeat the direct nominations mistake like we did in Makadara and Juja. We have decided to use the collegiate system, with all PNU affiliate parties that have candidates producing 20 delegates in every ward. The delegates will constitute the nominations college at the Bomas of Kenya on Wednesday," said Party Secretary General Kiraitu Murungi.
Apart from immediate former area MP Simon Mbugua, former PNU strategist for Nairobi Province in the 2007 General Election Jimmy Kuria is the latest entrant in the race.
Mr Kuria, who is among the six candidates who had expressed interest by last Friday to fight for the PNU Alliance ticket, is an old hand in Kamukunji politics, having first vied four unsuccessful times.
The battle for the ticket is expected to be between Kuria, a former corporate technocrat, and Mbugua, who lost the seat through a successful election petition by ODM’s Ibrahim.
Mr Kiraitu has indicated the winning candidate must garner 50-plus-one votes, and if none secures the threshold, the top two must go for a run-off.
PNU views the Kamukunji duel as a contest for supremacy in Nairobi politics between it and its main rival, ODM.
"PNU intends to demonstrate to both party affiliates and rivals that the PNU Alliance is a formidable force that can, and will win elections in the future. In Kirinyaga Central, the Alliance had its firstborn. Kamukunji will give the Alliance a secondborn," said Kiraitu.
In the Ikolomani by-election, political rivals have drawn daggers and rolled up their sleeves in readiness for a bruising battle.
While the New Ford-Kenya party seeks to recapture the seat through immediate former MP Bonny Khalwale, ODM maintains it is out to reclaim its stolen victory.
Dr Khalwale has been spending most of his time with the electorate since his re-election was nullified.
His main challenger, Shinali, appears to be banking on the massive support he will get from the ODM top brass.
Other than the support from his New Ford-Kenya party, Khalwale will also be getting support from Narc-Kenya, which will not field a candidate.
Narc-Kenya officials drawn from nine branches in Kakamega County have been holding meetings to strategise ways of helping Khalwale reclaim the seat.
Another contender for the seat is Collins Matemba of Ford People.
However, the party ticket might not be a determinant in the upcoming by-election, as the electorate indicate they are only interested in candidates’ development records.
Frank Matanga, a political scientist at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, alluded that the Ikolomani by-election would indeed be a tricky affair.
Prof Matanga termed Khalwale as a grassroot politician, as opposed to Shinali, who is an "elite politician".
Mobilise votesHe says Khalwale is able to mobilise votes while Shinali will have to depend on the elite to drum up support for him.
"Shinali will have to counter Khalwale’s grassroot support to go to Parliament," he explained.
Matanga furtherv notes that the Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi factor may not have a great impact in securing the seat.
"Mudavadi has never been a king maker in Luhya land. His influence, therefore, might not make a big difference," he noted.
Received backing
Just after the Ikolomani by-election date was announced, Khalwale received backing from MPs Peter Kenneth and Cyrus Jirongo and former Trade Minister Mukhisa Kituyi.
The three said they were in full support of Khalwale’s re-election bid.
They separately indicated that Khalwale had a reputable performance record in Parliament.
Khalwale lost his seat on February 18, after the High Court in Kakamega nullified his re-election, citing irregularities during the 2007 elections.
Expressing confidenceODM leaders from Western Province have been expressing confidence that their party will clinch the Ikolomani seat.
In an interview with The Standard, Emuhaya MP Wilbur Otichillo said ODM was still strong in Ikolomani. He expressed confidence that Shinali would emerge victorious.
Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito, who is a close ally of Mudavadi, maintained that party members would camp in the region to fight for the seat.
"The seat rightfully belongs to us. We are going to ensure we get it. The region is pre-dominantly ODM," said Mr Kizito.
New Ford-Kenya party leader Soita Shitanda, who is also the Minister for Housing, has told Khalwale’s opponent to brace for a serious battle.
"Starting next week, we are going to pitch tenth in the area to ensure we retain our seat as a party," he said.
The by-election will be a test for ODM in one of its strongholds.
In the 2007 elections, ODM lost three seats in Kakamega County, in Malava, Ikolomani and Lugari. Kakamega County has nine constituencies.
New Ford-Kenya won in Ikolomani and Malava while Kaddu clinched the Lugari seat.