By-elections a double-edged sword for Uhuru’s TNA party

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PHOTO | PAUL WAWERU | NATION The National Alliance (TNA) Secretary-General Onyango Oloo (centre) briefs journalists at the party’s headquarters in Nairobi on August 11, 2012 on the by-elections in Kangema, Kajiando North and Ndhiwa constituencies. With him is TNA organising secretary Birya Patrick Chande (left) and chairman Sakaja Johnson.  

By BILLY MUIRURI bmuiruri@ke.nationmedia.com and EMEKA-MAYAKA GEKARA gmayaka@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Saturday, August 11  2012 at  23:30

IN SUMMARY

• While parties taking part in polls will be out to gauge popularity, TNA supporters also have an eye on primaries

The forthcoming by-elections in Kangema and Kajiado North constituencies present a major test for key political parties which hope to use them to gauge their popularity on the ground ahead of the General Election.

It will be a delicate balancing act particularly for Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s recently launched The National Alliance (TNA) which will be using the polls to test its strength as anxious aspirants wait to see whether it can conduct fair nominations. The party has released the names of shortlisted candidates who will take part in the nomination to be held by secret ballot on Wednesday.

And with the signing of a pact on Wednesday between Party of National Unity (PNU), the Alliance Party of Kenya (APK) and TNA to support Mr Kenyatta for the presidency, it will be interesting to see how the new coalition patners wrestle for the seats, especially PNU and TNA in Kajiado North.

Botched primaries

The two parties will field candidates aiming to fill the seat previously occupied by Prof George Saitoti who was PNU chairperson.

In Kangema, it is getting increasingly clear that botched primaries might cast doubts about TNA’s commitment to fair nominations for the General Election, a concern that might see aspirants position themselves in other parties even as they support Mr Kenyatta’s presidential bid.

Those shortlised for the Kangema ticket are Titus Ngahu, Ann Kirima, Samuel Gatitu, Duncan Githiga, Muturi Kigano, Andrew Kamenju and Simon Kamau.

Mr Kenyatta’s pointman in Murang’a County, Nairobi Metropolitan minister Jamleck Kamau, says the conduct of the primaries will either endear politicians to the party or scare them away. “How we do the primaries here (Kangema) will give a direction of where the party is going. We must let the people decide. We are committed to this cause,” he said.

In both cases, the September 17 by-elections provide the party with a rope with which it can hang or save itself.

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But while the Kangema by-election will largely be a TNA affair, the Kajiado by-election has a strong national dynamic because of its cosmopolitan population.

The duel in Kajiado North will pit PNU, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM),  Kenya National Congress (KNC) and TNA.

Mr Peter Mositet, a civil engineer, will carry the ODM flag while Mr Moses ole Sakuda, who ran against Prof Saitoti in the last election, and Mr Francis Parsimei Gitau will be seeking the TNA ticket. The two, together with Mr Joseph Manje, have been cleared for the party nominations which TNA secretary-general Onyango Oloo has said will be free and fair for all.

Veteran politician

Nairobi businessman Solomon Kinyanjui, a former Kenyatta ally who recently ditched TNA, will be seeking the PNU ticket alongside Mr Anthony Keen, a son of veteran politician John Keen.

The ultimate TNA candidate will have to contend with Mr Kinyanjui’s support from other parties allied to the G7 Alliance.

The Sunday Nation established that Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Democratic Party and Eldoret North MP William Ruto’s URP have resolved to support “whoever PNU nominates”.

Mr Musyoka’s advisers have met Mr Kinyanjui more than once to hammer out a working formula. It is understood Mr Musyoka is keen to support the PNU candidate.

At 39,814 people, the Kamba are the third largest ethnic group after the Kikuyu (122,401) and Maasai (94,891) in Kajiado North, according to the last census.

The battle for the PNU ticket almost turned dirty this week when Mr Keen was summoned by the IEBC after his supporters allegedly defaced Mr Kinyanjui’s campaign posters in Ngong, Bul Bul and Ongata Rongai.

Mr Keen, however, denied the allegations saying he would not know who destroyed the posters.

TNA’s trickier part is the ethnic arithmetic which is bound to feature. Whoever gets the party’s nod will be banking mainly on the support of the Maa peoples as well as the Kikuyu votes due to Mr Kenyatta’s link.

Mr Kinyanjui also hopes to get support from the Kikuyu and diehard supporters of the PNU, regarded as “Saitoti’s political orphans”.

Kiserian councillor Peter Munene, vying on Planning assistant minister Peter Kenneth’s KNC party, could also draw votes from the Kikuyu basket.

Western Kenya people resident in the area are reported to be keen on the ODM candidate who is from the Maasai.

According to the 2009 census, there are 31,451 Luhyas in Kajiado North, 23,852 Luos and 19,782 Kisiis.

Mr Mositet, the ODM candidate, says the contest will revolve around issues of development, integration, youth unemployment and security.

In Ndhiwa constituency, the contest for the TNA ticket will pit Rosemary Rumo, Maurice Odhiambo Okoth and Meshack Odundo.

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Additional reporting by Oliver Mathenge, omathenge@ke.nationmedia.com