Party leaders back to the drawing board

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By PATRICK NZIOKA pnzioka@ke.nationmedia.com and SAMUEL KARANJA samkache@gmail.com
Posted  Tuesday, September 18  2012 at  20:34

IN SUMMARY

• Mr Ngahu’s win is a big boost for Mr Kenyatta, who stuck with him despite a flawed nomination exercise in which the losers complained of being rigged out.
• Those who lost defected to other parties and were expected to give Mr Ngahu a run for his money. This was, however, not the case, if the results are anything to go by.
• The win is also a boost to the profile of Metropolitan Minister Jamleck Kamau, who is Mr Kenyatta’s pointman in Murang’a County.

The National Alliance party associated with Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta has shown it’s the party to watch in central Kenya following a landslide win by its candidate in the Kangema by-election.

TNA also won in Kajiado North constituency and in Market Ward in Eldoret Town, two areas where the central Kenya diaspora is dominant. In Kangema, Mr Tiras Ngahu got 13,752 votes out of 21,333 cast.

United Democratic Forum’s Simon Kamau came a distant second with 2,981 votes followed by Saba Saba Asili candidate Muturi Kigano who was third, with 2,801 votes.

“I’m extremely humbled by this event and I thank the people of Kangema for electing me as their MP. I will serve them diligently,” Mr Ngahu said in his victory speech.

He fills the void left by the death of former MP and Environment minister John Michuki who had endorsed Mr Kenyatta as the leader of central Kenya.

Mr Ngahu’s win is a big boost for Mr Kenyatta, who stuck with him despite a flawed nomination exercise in which the losers complained of being rigged out. (READ: Uhuru exerts supremacy in by-elections)

Those who lost defected to other parties and were expected to give Mr Ngahu a run for his money. This was, however, not the case, if the results are anything to go by.

The win is also a boost to the profile of Metropolitan Minister Jamleck Kamau, who is Mr Kenyatta’s pointman in Murang’a County.

Mr Kamau and Embakasi MP Ferdinard Waititu had camped in the constituency for the last one week running the campaigns on behalf of Mr Kenyatta who was also campaigning for the TNA candidates in Kajiado and Ndhiwa constituencies.

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Mr Kamau is believed to have been rewarded with a ministerial post for his loyalty to Mr Kenyatta. Mr Kamau expressed joy following the victory, and said TNA had proved it was a force to reckon with in central region and nationally.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga would be watching keenly the ramifications of the outcome of the Kangema by-elections after he campaigned for the Mkenya Solidarity candidate John Gathogo Githaiga.

Mr Githaiga only managed 409 votes to emerge second last in the race. Mzalendo Saba Saba candidate was last with 170 votes.

Mr Odinga was in the constituency on Wednesday to campaign for Mr Githaiga alongside Mkenya Solidarity’s Maina Njenga, the former leader of the outlawed Mungiki sect.

In Kajiado North, Mr Njenga’s party had pulled out in support of ODM’s Peter Mositet who lost to TNA’s Moses Sakuda. Mr Odinga, who is keen to win a slice of the central Kenya vote through Mr Njenga, might have to rethink his strategy.

Mr Njenga told campaign rallies in Kangema that the by-election was an indicator of the cooperation between his party and Mr Odinga’s in the 2013 elections and beyond.

Bragging rights

For the time being, the results will put to rest who between Mr Kenyatta and Mr Njenga has the bragging rights as the leader of the house of Mumbi. The two have been engaged in a cold war over the leadership of the community.

Two presidential candidates from the region, Narc Kenya’s Martha Karua and assistant minister Peter Kenneth will also have to contend with the bounce gained by Mr Kenyatta who has been urging them to join him and unite the community to vote as a bloc.