Sunday, November 18, 2012

Uhuru visits amidst Ongeri TNA storm


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PHOTO | FILE Foreign Affairs minister Sam Ongeri.
PHOTO | FILE Foreign Affairs minister Sam Ongeri.  NATION MEDIA GROUP
By JACKLINE MORAA moraajm@yahoo.com
Posted  Sunday, November 18  2012 at  00:30
IN SUMMARY
  • Prof Ongeri on Monday led a section of Gusii MPs in declaring that residents of Kisii and Nyamira counties will throw their weight behind The National Alliance leader in the next election
  • But assistant minister Manson Nyamweya dismissed the Ongeri declaration, saying “the mood is clear” that the Abagusii are fully behind ODM
  • Prof Ongeri has an axe to grind with Mr Odinga after the latter attempted to suspend him from the Education ministry over alleged misuse of cash
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Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta heads to the Gusii region on Sunday for a three-day campaign in the wake of a storm sparked by Foreign Affairs minister Sam Ongeri last week when he declared the area a “TNA zone”.
Prof Ongeri on Monday led a section of Gusii MPs in declaring that residents of Kisii and Nyamira counties will throw their weight behind The National Alliance leader in the next election.
The minister said the community has the numerical and economic strength to tilt the vote in favour of the party’s presidential candidate.
“We want to use our numerical strength for the wider benefit of this community, and the only way to show our strength is to vote as a bloc for one presidential aspirant,” said Prof Ongeri.
The MPs, who included National Heritage assistant minister Wilfred Ombui (Kanu), Kitutu Masaba MP Walter Nyambati (National Labour Party), and his Nyaribari Chache counterpart Robert Monda (Narc), said they would rally the community behind TNA.
Addressing party supporters and aspirants, Prof Ongeri said the community was the “Ohio of Kenya with a formidable vote strength of over 1.2 million and must be involved in charting the country’s way forward”.
He was referring to the American elections in which Ohio State was widely viewed as the one to determine the presidential winner.
National economy
He said the community contributes a significant portion to the national economy and deserves its rightful place and share in the country especially in governance.
In addition, he said, the region has the highest number of voters in the diaspora. “Even in remittances our people in the diaspora contribute about Sh6 billion to the national economy per annum,” he said.
But assistant minister Manson Nyamweya dismissed the Ongeri declaration, saying “the mood is clear” that the Abagusii are fully behind ODM.
“We shall back ODM and Prime Minister Raila Odinga in the next polls as he can be trusted to implement the Constitution. Claims that Kisii is a TNA zone are far-fetched,” he said.
Mr Nyamweya challenged Prof Ongeri to explain the implications of Mr Kenyatta’s ascendancy to power owing to his case at the International Criminal Court.
“These leaders are not pushing for a development agenda for the region but their own interests,” he said.
Ford-People’s national secretary for elections Albert Nyaundi also dismissed Prof Ongeri’s sentiments.
“No presidential candidate has the guarantee of bagging the entire region’s vote. We are liberal and we believe in ideologies rather than party and tribal inclinations,” Mr Nyaundi said.
He said Ford People has since cancelled its earlier plans of forming an alliance with Mr Kenyatta’s TNA.
While Prof Ongeri is pushing for Mr Kenyatta, Public Works minister Chris Obure has been holding rallies in the region campaigning for Mr Odinga.
The two are seeking the Kisii Senate seat. Other than Mr Obure and Mr Nyamweya, other MPs in the Odinga camp are assistant ministers Richard Onyonka, Simon Ogari, James Gesami and David Onyancha (Bonchari) as well Ms Janet Ong’era, the director of ODM secretariat.
Prof Ongeri has an axe to grind with Mr Odinga after the latter attempted to suspend him from the Education ministry over alleged misuse of cash.
Mr Justus Mochoge, chairman of the Gusii Consultative Forum, which has been brokering the unity of the community, said no single aspirant can be accepted across board because the leaders are already divided.
Self-seekers
“The politicians from Gusii region have polarised the community. No single leader can claim that their party is meant for the good of Omogusii, they are greedy self-seekers,” said Mr Mochoge.
He said that efforts to bring the community together were scuttled by the same leaders after they snubbed a meeting chaired by former politician Simeon Nyachae.
He said the leaders are using unity as a benchmark to woo voters to their side. “I challenge Prof Ongeri to bring all leaders on board before presenting the agenda of unity,” he said.
Mr Nyaundi, who is seeking the Bomachoge parliamentary seat, said the party will field candidates in parliamentary and county seats but will not throw its weight behind any particular presidential candidate.
“We will rally our people to support our candidates at parliamentary and county seats, but with the presidency, it’s upon the people to decide. We will work with the government of the day,” he said.

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