Deputy President William Ruto, Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, Senator
Mike Sonko and several MPs when they addressed traders at Gikomba market
on June 23, 2015 after a fire destroyed property there. PHOTO | ANTHONY
OMUYA |
NATION MEDIA GROUP
The ambition to control billions of shillings in the counties
after the next General Election is firing a fresh wave of political
tussles in the devolved units as senators and MPs position themselves to
occupy higher offices.
Several legislators have rolled
out strategies, among them going back to school, as part of their
preparations to challenge incumbent governors in the 2017 elections.
The
lawmakers are also capitalising on the incumbent governors’ failure to
fulfil promises and perceived mismanagement of resources in their
counties to build their cases against the county bosses.
In Parliament, it is not uncommon for an MP to introduce themselves and then add, “the future governor of …”
In
Nairobi, Senator Mike Mbuvi Sonko and Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru
are gearing up for a battle with Governor Evans Kidero.
Mr
Waweru, who is the chairman of the Central Kenya-Nairobi Parliamentary
group, has the backing of The National Alliance Party MPs in Nairobi in
what is seen as an attempt to isolate the senator.
Mr
Sonko has initiated an anti-corruption campaign against Mr Kidero in
Nairobi at one point even addressing the County Assembly where he
purported to table evidence on the same.
The Nairobi
senator is a Bachelor in Business Administration student at the Kenya
Methodist University in Nairobi and is expected to graduate in two
weeks’ time.
“Now nobody can stop me from vying for the
governor’s position. I will be graduating in two weeks and embark on my
plans to save Nairobi from corruption,” he said.
Mr
Sonko dismissed speculation that he was preparing to relocate to
Machakos or Kwale counties, insisting that he would roll out a campaign
that would wipe out his opponents.
“I know that former
councillors in Nairobi and their sons and daughters who became MPs have
ganged up against me. But no ethnic card will play against us. We shall
continue to unite all tribes in Nairobi without asking about their
tribes,” Mr Sonko said.
And Mr Waweru told the Sunday Nation:
“It is true that my position at the moment is that I am MP for
Dagoretti South. It is also true that I will contest the position of
governor in Nairobi county in 2017.”
In Mombasa county,
the perception that Nyali MP Hezron Awiti (Wiper) is gunning for the
gubernatorial position come 2017 has put him on a collision course with
the incumbent, Hassan Ali Joho.
Political pundits see
the two as the “unsworn” rivals after the Mr Awiti complained that the
governor had “planted” people to oppose him in the forthcoming
elections. Already, the Speaker of the County Assembly Tadius Rajwayi
and Mr Said Abdallah, a cousin of the governor, are eyeing the Nyali
MP’s seat.
Wundanyi MP Thomas Mwadeghu has openly told
Taita-Taveta county Governor John Mruttu that he will challenge him in
the next General Election. The lawmaker says that after 10 years as MP
it was time to move to the next big thing and has told the incumbent to
prepare for a fierce political battle.
TITANIC WAR
In
Kilifi county, a titanic war is promising between Governor Amason Kingi
(ODM) and Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro (ODM). Their rivalry has seen
the two exchange bitter words in public with the latter taking
advantage of the former’s absence during the Madaraka Day celebrations
to question his decision to reject the hospitals medical equipment kit.
In Nyanza, MPs have shown interest in the Homa Bay, Kisumu and Siaya gubernatorial positions.
Kasipul
MP Oyugi Magwanga is already on the local governor Cyprian Awiti’s
case, enumerating various alleged misdeeds by his government.
Mr
Oyugi, a second term lawmaker, is a Bachelor’s degree student at Narok
University studying commerce and he is expected to graduate next year.
His
anti-corruption crusade in the county has projected him as a potential
candidate against the governor but new faces have also emerged. “I am
still the MP for Kasipul. I am serving my people well. Currently I can’t
talk much about anything else,” he told the Sunday Nation.
Other
than Mr Magwanga, a high ranking National Intelligence Service
official, Mr Sam Wakiaga, says he is also under pressure from locals to
contest.
Last weekend, Mr Wakiaga attended a
high-profile fundraising function at St Joseph Ogeka Catholic Church in
Gwassi, Suba, where he was accompanied by Karachuonyo MP James Rege and
Cord leader Raila Odinga’s aides Caroli Omondi and Silas Jakakimba among
others.
“Yes Mr Wakiaga is under a lot of pressure to contest. If he makes a decision he will pronounce it himself,” said Mr Rege.
Prominent
city lawyer Mathews Oseko also plans to initiate a campaign for the
same position. “If the people of Homa Bay county call upon me to step in
and get Homa Bay county back on track, who am I to decline?” he said.
While Mr Oseko is working on his team, Mr Wakiaga’s supporters said they were ready for the challenge against opponents.
“We
have a line-up ready. The governor is going to find things very rough
when we finally roll out our campaign,” said former Rangwe MP Richard
Ogindo, who announced he will run in Homa Bay Town constituency.
It
is unclear where the three campaign groups in the county are placing
Homa Bay senator Moses Kajwang’ who is cutting his own niche, and has
become a leading crusader against graft in the area.
In
Bomet, Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso is the one being touted to take on
Governor Isaac Ruto who has differed with the URP leadership on
political issues while Nyando MP Fred Outa is among those expected to
jump into the race against Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma.
In Kirinyaga county led by Joseph Ndathi, Kirinyaga Central MP Joseph Gitari is already warming up for the contest.
ROLLING OUT NETWORKS
Kigumo
MP Jamleck Kamau is expected to run against Governor Mwangi wa Iria in
Murang’a while in Kiambu, Kabete lawmaker Ferdinand Waititu is already
rolling out networks in readiness for a battle against Governor William
Kabogo.
Mr Waititu and his supporters are taking
advantage of Mr Kabogo’s unpopular revenue collection policies to pin
him down. But Mr Kabogo has dismissed Mr Waititu as a non-starter.
In
Vihiga, lawmaker Yusuf Chanzu has announced he will throw his hat in
the ring against incumbent Moses Akaranga while in neighbouring
Kakamega, Senator Boni Khalwale has sent signs he is interested in
unseating Governor Wyclife Oparanya.
Funyula MP Paul Otuoma told the Sunday Nation
that he is already planning how to capture the Busia county governor’s
seat after witnessing what he termed “massive collapse of the people’s
hopes in devolution”.
He said that many MPs and
senators feel that the current crop of governors are mismanaging
resources, arguing that Nyanza and Western are coming out empty handed
after billions of shillings allocated to the regions were channelled to
low priority projects and recruitment of staff.
“In
Busia county, devolution has failed and we need to quickly move in to
save the situation. Some governors should never have been elected. We
should never make mistakes like these again,” said the Funyula lawmaker.
Mr Sospeter Ojaamong is the incumbent governor.
In
Siaya, Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo is eyeing the governor’s position.
Already Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo is leading a rebellion against the
Governor, Cornel Rasanga.
In Kisii, Mr Manson Nyamweya plans to run against Governor James Ongwae.
In Kericho, Ainamoi MP Benjamin Lang’at could also make an attempt to unseat Prof Paul Chepkwony.
Muthomi
Njuki also makes no secret of his ambition in Tharaka Nithi. Runyenjes
MP Cecily Mbarire has also been linked with a bid for the seat currently
occupied by Martin Wambora.
Additional reporting by Mwakera Mwajefa
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