Sunday, July 14, 2013

Mwau, Kitundu reap from Kethi Kilonzo’sexit

Updated Saturday, July 13th 2013 at 11:23 GMT +3


BY Onesmus Nzioka
The nullification of Kethi Kilonzo’s candidature from the Makueni Senate contest has presented yet a new twist to the unending drama surrounding the Mutula succession battle.
Ordinarily, many would have bet that Kethi’s exit would hand Jubilee’s Philip Kaloki an upper hand and a smooth ride to Mutula’s  shoes.
However, going by the reactions of Makueni voters after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission dispute committee’s verdict, Prof Kaloki appears to be losing ground and attracting unprecedented resentment.
A section of residents expressed their anger over the decision to lock out Kethi and accuse the Jubilee alliance of masterminding the move. They termed the decision a scheme by Jubilee to cut the titanic following that Kethi commanded. “Why did Jubilee complain about Kethi’s registration only after snubbing their offer to run on either Jubilee’s affiliate parties?” posed Jacob Mwania, a resident of Wote town.
Very little
“We know Jubilee is afraid of Kethi and want to impose a candidate on us, we will show them ourpower,” he added.
They have vowed to avenge their anger on Jubilee by largely voting for either former Kilome MP Harun Mwau or Labour Party of Kenya candidate Jane Kitundu to deny Prof Kaloki a win. Mwau and Kitundu had from the onset of the campaigns emerged as chasers of Prof Kaloki and Kethi with very little said about them.
As a matter of fact, many had written off the duo questioning why they had chosen to try a game they were sure to lose.
Initially, Kethi supporters had threatened to boycott the election on grounds that their candidate had been forced out of the contest. Others had said they would write the name ‘Kethi’ on the ballot papers, a move that would have led to invalidation of thousands of votes.
Her supporters however seem to have trashed the idea after realising they would give Prof Kaloki a win, and after they were talked out of it by governor Kivutha Kibwana.
“I understand the anger Kethi supporters have over the IEBC decision. They should however avoid mistakes that would cost them for the next five years,” he said.
He said Makueni voters will not endorse an impostor and warned the Jubilee alliance that their scheme will boomerang big time.  Pundits say the battle that appeared to pit Kethi against Prof Kaloki has now been reduced to a two-horse race between Kitundu and Mwau as Kaloki is viewed as a ‘traitor’.
Although Prof Kaloki argues his candidature creates a window for the Kamba people to be in government through the ruling coalition, analysts say Jubilee has soiled this good will and condemned Prof Kaloki’s political career to the dustbin.
Scored highly
Mwau appears to have scored highly by trying to defend Kethi, saying she should be given an opportunity to exercise her democratic right.
“It is the voters who will make a choice between us,” Mwau said, while defending Kethi’s candidature.
Pundits however say Mwau was just trying to win over Kethi’s supporters by appearing to sympathise with her, as there is no way he would appreciate her challenge that is like a tornado sweeping over his roof.
Having contested the Senate in the March 4 General Election, Mwau has emerged as a possible compromise candidate with even those who rejected him in his Kilome backyard rooting for him.
“In the absence of Kethi, Mwau is the only other person we feel can better represent us in the Senate,” said Jacinta Mbatha a Kilome resident.
“Mwau has a helping heart; it is only that he took on the wrong challenger in the March election. “This time I see no reason he shouldn’t be our senator,” said Daniel Wambua a political activist from Makueniconstituency.
One word
On her part, Jane Kitundu appears to be another compromise candidate especially for CORD whose leaders are keen to reclaim the seat lost following the death of Mutula Kilonzo on April 27.
Her LPK party being an affiliate of CORD is expected that if Kethi’s case hits the wall, then the CORD luminaries will rally behind her to thwart Jubilee’s attempts of penetrating one of its strongholds. Efforts to reach Wiper chairman David Musila for comment on such a possibility did not bear fruit as his phone went unanswered.
Kitundu however told The County Weekly on phone that she and her party boss Julia Ojiambo had been approached by CORD leadership to have her carry their flag on March 22.
“I can confirm that there have been talks between CORD leaders, Ojiambo and I over the issue ofMakueni and we will soon give you the details,” she said.
“I am sure very soon I will be going round for campaigns with Kethi and together will land this seat to CORD and also return it to Mbooni where it belonged,” she added. Daniel Wambua, a local political analyst says it would only require one word from Kethi to have Kitundu carry the day.
He says Kethi’s tribulations would even attract more sympathy votes for kitundu while creating a hurdle for Kaloki.

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