Ngilu State House bid upsets VP

By Stephen Makabila

Water Minister Charity Ngilu launches her presidential bid today in what has widely ignited political talk on Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka’s hold on the lower Eastern voting bloc.

Opinion is sharply divided on the implications of Ngilu’s State House bid on the VP’s fortunes in his home turf ahead of the March General Election.

While Kalonzo’s allies dismiss Ngilu’s bid as inconsequential, the Narc party leader’s point man Kiema Kilonzo says the VP should expect ‘battle royale’. “It is no longer business as usual. Let them meet us on the campaign trail, but lower Eastern is in our control,” Kiema told The Standard On Sunday ahead of today’s re-launch of Narc.

But Mr Makali Mulu, the Wiper Democratic Movement chairman in Kitui Central, argues that the Vice-President is popular even in Ngilu’s own constituency.

“Let them boast but even in her own Kitui Central constituency, you cannot rule out the Kalonzo wave,” added Mulu, who is seeking to succeed Ngilu as the next area MP.

The immediate former Wiper point man in Nyanza Anthony Kibagendi, who earlier in the week defected to ODM, says Ngilu’s entry into the presidential race could complicate matters for Kalonzo in lower Eastern. “I have been a WDM insider before my defection less than a week ago. I know the VP may face some distractions in that region if Ngilu keeps her word to run for president,” added Kibagendi.

Kalonzo has been playing down political intrigues in his lower Eastern backyard, venturing out to seek national support for his second presidential bid.

When he spoke soon after being blessed by members of the Kamba Council of Elders at a rally at Kitui Stadium in July, Kalonzo said he was emboldened and was going for nothing short of the presidency.

Home votes

The blessing was skillfully orchestrated and came at the end of a tour of Eastern counties by the VP and his Wiper allies in what political observers viewed as a scheme to ‘insulate his home votes’.

“After the blessing, I am fully prepared for the grueling battle to secure the future of this country,” the VP declared.

Elders Titus Mbathi and Bishop Mutemi Mutia led other council members in blessing Kalonzo. They urged him to venture out and seek votes from the rest of the country.

However, his home turf is no longer safe, with his perennial regional rival Ngilu, equally having been blessed by a section of elders to run for president. She met the elders on Tuesday night. Kiema says the elders promised to politically back Ngilu’s bid and also help her seek support across the country.

“Today, we will be re-launching our party and unveiling our presidential candidate at a ceremony at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi,” Kiema told The Standard On Sunday.

If she contests, it would be Ngilu’s second stab at the presidency. In 1997, Ngilu made history by becoming the first substantial female presidential candidate in Kenya. She emerged fifth. The other candidate was the late Prof Wangari Maathai.

Mulu argues the political scenario has changed from the time Ngilu ran for president in 1997, and that she may find the going tough.

“We know she was popular then but more than a decade later, new players now call the shots in lower Eastern,” added Mulu.

Kiema says Kalonzo had nothing to show in terms of development during the more than 20 years he has served in Government. He says the Water Minister towers above him as a development conscious leader.

Regional tour

Kibagendi’s departure from the Wiper family is another drawback to the VP’s attempts to gain foothold in the Gusii region, having come on the eve of his four-day tour of the region last weekend. “I decided to leave on the eve of the VP’s tour to make a clear statement that I was no longer with him. The people of Kitutu-Chache South whom I want to represent in Parliament wanted me to be in ODM,” added Kibagendi.

And while addressing thousands of Seventh Day Adventist faithful at Gusii Stadium during centennial celebration for the church establishment in Gusii and Transmara last weekend, the Vice-President called on religious leaders to guide their flock to elect visionary leaders.

According to Kiema, 5,000 Narc delegates from the 47 counties will attend today’s launch of Ngilu’s presidential bid.