Sunday, September 2, 2012

Running mate talk dampens Eugene bid


By Robert Wanyonyi          
Persisting reports that he might end up being Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s presidential running mate may not have come at a wrong time for Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa.
The first-time MP for Saboti had his political star shinning that some fellow presidential contenders from the populous Luhya community were at one time operating under his shadow.
Fast-forward to early last month and Wamalwa’s political fortunes appeared to hit rock bottom after reports his name was being flouted as Uhuru’s running mate emerged.
Local radio stations were immediately filled with calls from Wamalwa’s supporters, who demanded to know whether the reports held any water because in their own words, the minister had failed to come out clearly to dispute the growing speculation. They say he had failed to assure them his name would be on the presidential ballot in the General Election.
Voters’ demands
Though he did so, albeit unconvincingly through a section of the media in Nairobi, the Western electorate from which he derives strong membership of his New Ford-Kenya party wanted him to “come home and explain”.
Though he has kept on giving assurances and re-assurances about his presidential bid being still alive, recent happenings in the political circles have not played in favour of Wamalwa, who faces outright rebellion from even among his allies.
Majority of residents in the New Ford-Kenya strongholds of Bungoma, Trans-Nzoia have opposed any move by Wamalwa to deputise anyone in the crowded presidential race.
“Eugene was the people’s darling as a result of carrying on the name and politics of his brother Michael Kijana Wamalwa. But his recent indecisiveness has confused his supporters and is working in favour of other presidential contenders like Raila Odinga and Musalia Mudavadi,” says John Makali, an advocate of the High Court and chairman of the Law Society of Kenya, Bungoma Branch.
Makali added that Raila and Mudavadi, who have a strong grassroots political base in the hitherto New Ford-Kenya counties, stand to reap fruits Wamalwa has worked for since announcing his presidential bid should he opt to be Uhuru’s running mate.
Perhaps sensing the confusion, many aspirants who had earlier made New Ford-Kenya their party of choice, are shifting alliances.
In Sirisia constituency, Wamalwa’s main man for the parliamentary seat Levi Makali has been prevailed upon by elders and his supporters to consider shifting to Trade Minister and presidential aspirant Moses Wetang’ula’s Ford-Kenya party, while Livestock PS Kenneth Lusaka, who was earlier said to have settled on New Ford-Kenya in his bid for Bungoma governorship, is said to be considering other options.
Levi, who is a businessman in Bungoma, is said to have planned a series of meetings with his supporters with a view to getting counsel before settling on a party, with a suggestion of running as an independent candidate popping up.
Seeking opinion
Former Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi, who was also interested in seeking to recapture his former seat on Wamalwa’s party, told The Standard On Sunday that he was still consulting his supporters.
Cross over to Bumula constituency and one will encounter even more confusion among aspirants seeking to oust MP Bifwoli Wakoli.
Sources say Boniface Otsyula, considered the front-runner to unseat Wakoli, has opted to move to Mudavadi’s United Democratic Forum, and that it’s only a matter of time before the Bungoma-based lawyer makes the big leap official.
Otsyula was one of those assisted many ODM MPs from Bungoma and the larger Western region to win their seats amid a spirited onslaught from Ford-Kenya and New Ford-Kenya.
The borne of contention is that Wamalwa, who convinced him into ditching ODM, has of late been surrounded by loyalists from Bumula such as Simiyu Wamboka who claim he had received Wamalwa’s endorsement for the seat.
Sure bet
That leaves only Musikari Kombo as the sure bet for Wamalwa in the party as the former Local Government Minister seeks to capture the Bungoma Senate, battling it out with perennial rival, former Trade and Industry Minister Mukhisa Kituyi and former Kanduyi MP Lawrence Sifuna, who chairs Nzoia Sugar Company board.
“Wamalwa needs to move and do so with speed because majority of his supporters in Western region now believe he has lost ground due to his association with strong presidential aspirants who consider him as only being fit to play second fiddle,” says Makali.
When contacted, Wamalwa admitted there are issues he needs to fix with his grassroots supporters.
He also maintained he would be in the presidential race on his party ticket. The minister has summoned all aspirants seeking party support to Nairobi on September 6 for a meeting.
Two weeks ago, MPs from the Luhya community skipped the memorial of former VP Michael Wamalwa in Kitale organised by Eugene. Kombo sent out signals that though they had proclaimed unity recently, it was a mirage.
During the event, Public Health Minister Beth Mugo and a section of MPs from Central Province announced they had come to represent Uhuru at the function, but the crowd made their voices heard that they wanted the Justice Minister to run for president and not as Uhuru’s running mate next year.



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