Reunion calls at Shikuku burial

By Oscar Obonyo

Succession politics took centre stage at the burial of veteran politician Joseph Martin Shikuku, despite his wish for an apolitical send-off.

Leaders, who gathered at Shikuku’s rural Kiminini farm in Bungoma County, called on Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Deputy PM Musalia Mudavadi to avoid political hostility. As some sold the value of a partnership between the Nyanza and Western leaders, others directed veiled attacks at leaders seen to be impeding western Kenya’s success in the elections.

Ikolomani MP Boni Khalwale kicked off the political drama by referring to Mudavadi, who hopes to run for president on a United Democratic Forum ticket, as the “president-in-waiting”. Taking cue, Shinyalu MP, Justus Kizito, asked “wageni” (political ‘visitors’) to keep off Luhya politics and let the locals make a choice between their sons Mudavadi and Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa.  The latter, who is Saboti MP, has declared he is in the race to State House, but is often seen as a possible running mate to TNA’s Uhuru Kenyatta.

The comments drew the ire of Trade minister and Ford-Kenya chairman Moses Wetangula, who has also said he may run: “If one thinks he can be president because he is a Luhya, then forget it. Luhya is just an identity, which should aid us to work with the rest, otherwise one should seek president because of their ability to lead.”

Noting that Shikuku had walked on “the right side of history”, Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba said it was not a surprise that he chose ODM as his party, and Raila as his preferred president. ODM insiders have described Shikuku as a behind-the-scenes force for unity in the party. He and others argued that western Kenya was better off in ODM despite the high profile split Raila had with Musalia Mudavadi.

Appealing for a possible re-union, Cotu boss Francis Atwoli, a cousin and confidant of Shikuku, said the late politician was disheartened by Mudavadi’s move to decamp from ODM: “He told me that if only he would have been well, he would have summoned the two (Raila and Mudavadi) and give them a piece of his mind.”

Mr Atwoli advised supporters of the two leaders to exchange only “friendly fire” because “political life ahead is unclear and you may need one another”.  This was in apparent reference to the anticipated presidential run-off after the March 2013 polls. However, House Speaker Kenneth Marende observed that fire, whether friendly or not, was harmful. He instead pleaded with the two not to exchange any fire and work as a team for their personal political benefit and for the country.

“As you can all attest, my counsel is always right and I can assure you that even on this one it will come to pass,” he said.   Raila seemed to extend an olive branch to Mudavadi, denying ever making negative comments on “Mheshimiwa Mudavadi”.  He disputed media reports that while in Busia this week, he said the DPM had been drawn out of ODM in the way one tricks a chicken with grain before trapping and slaughtering it.

Mudavadi, on the other hand, made no mention of Raila throughout his speech. Instead, he warned against mudslinging, echoing a theme he picked on when challenging Raila for the leadership of ODM just before he decamped.

Taken a stand

In a speech read on his behalf by Mudavadi, President Kibaki described Shikuku as one of the country’s founding fathers “who was sensitive to the plight of the very poor”.

Joseph Martin Shikuku, or JM to his political peers, is the last of a fiery trio from the 1970s, with the same initials. The other fire-breathing politicians, who often criticised the late Jomo Kenyatta’s Government in Parliament, include Josiah Mwangi Kariuki and Jean Marie Seroney. Speaking to The Standard On Sunday a couple of weeks before dying from cancer, the politician said having played a crucial role in the realisation of the new Constitution he was now ready to meet his Maker.

In a speech at the funeral, Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni, a close ally of Mudavadi, was not enthusiastic of a Raila-Mudavadi truce: “Tumechukua msimamo na Mudavadi na wala hatuyumbi. Ni hapo hapo tutamalizia kwa sababu Shikuku alitufunza tuwe watu wa msimamo (We have taken a stand with Mudavadi to which we are firmly committed to. We shall fight to the end because I have learnt from Shikuku on the relevance on taking a firm stand).

But former Kibwezi MP Kalembe Ndile claimed some central Kenya voters had told him they had cheered Mudavadi during his last visit, not because they preferred him for president, but because he had quit ODM. Kalembe’s TIP party supports Eugene Wamalwa’s presidential bid. 

Eugene himself discounted reports that he was angling to be Uhuru or Raila’s running mate. He used the analogy of Lake Victoria, whose tributary is River Nzoia and the tiny River Sio. Equating himself to River Sio, he warned competitors against underestimating his strength. He said like the small river, he would flow into bigger waters.  

And the attacks went wild, touching on other presidential aspirants. Since independence, Shikuku’s younger brother and former Nakuru Town MP Lwali Oyondi observed that Kenyans had never witnessed declaration of “typing errors” by a Finance minister.  “And in this case we are talking about typing errors of billions of shillings of taxpayers’ money, yet this individual is also asking Kenyans to elect him president,” charged Lwali.

He was referring to Deputy Prime Minister, Uhuru Kenyatta, who previously served as Finance minister.

Naivasha MP John Mututho asked mourners to respect Shikuku’s wish by not engaging in politics. Lands Assistant Minister Bifwoli Wakoli made similar calls.   Shikuku’s eldest son, Madanji, equally plunged into the heated debate targeting Raila’s running mate. Apparently dissatisfied with credentials of those eyeing the position, he cautioned that the PM risked picking a tainted candidate who could flop integrity test.