Will Musyimi revive the long gone fame and clout to capture state house seat?

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Mutava Musyimi. Photo/FILE

By WALTER MENYA, wmenya@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Saturday, July 16 2011 at 20:44

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The fame of the 1990’s to early 2000 is long gone, but Gachoka MP Mutava Musyimi has declared his candidature for the country’s presidency in next year’s election.

He is fast finding himself a lone ranger in his campaign to pull the red carpet out from under the feet of the more established opponents. 
No MP accompanied him when he launched his bid in Nakuru last month and support for his candidature has been far between. However, the Gacholka legislator clarified that this was deliberate.

“I would like to go around the country and listen to people outside the elected leaders first but that does not mean I do not want them. I want to get my agenda and manifesto by listening to the people,” he said.

Since 2007 when he successfully vied for the Gachoka seat, the publicity that he enjoyed previously suddenly deserted him. 

Mr Musyimi declared his candidacy on July 2, but has not declared what party he is running on. His slogan is “It’s Time!” or “Ni Sasa” in Swahili. His symbol is a lit candle. He says he is waiting for the Bill on political parties to be finalised before he decides on his vehicle to State House.

Aside from the publicity that he certainly lacks, he is short of funds to mount a serious campaign beyond his Gachoka backyard. But the first time MP still clings to hope that he is the right man for the job.

“Given the vision of the country in the new Constitution, it requires a level of competence to manage it, and which I believe I have. I have a proven record from the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) where we were able to integrate the various denominations across the country,” he told the Sunday Nation.

Sellable to Kenyans

In 2002, Mr Musyimi was touted as a compromise candidate for the opposition, which his critics now say makes him believe he is sellable to Kenyans.

He maintains that is not the way he makes his decisions neither will he run his campaign on that assumption. He also has to distance himself from accusations of being elitist.

“The two (2002 and 2012 circumstances) are so unrelated.

You have to feel that you are ready to make a difference, that is the reason for me, and not that I was considered as opposition flag bearer almost a decade ago,” he said.

As the NCCK boss and pastor at Nairobi Baptist Church, Mr Musyimi was a vociferous campaigner for human rights. He was to later recount: “It is at Nairobi Baptist I started to see the state and the pulpit as a powerful place for speaking out against injustice.”