Stakes high for Wiper as battle to replace Mutula hots up

The July 22 Makueni Senate by-election to replace the late Mutula Kilonzo is a do-or-die battle for the Wiper party.

This is after it became evident that the outcome would determine the party’s power to nominate a senator.

There are several stakes in the race that opens Wednesday and Thursday when parties present their candidates to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

Despite the IEBC’s having set June 5 as the deadline for parties to submit their lists of nominees, main groups in the race – Cord and the Jubilee coalition – have opted to play mind games with each and other keeping their candidates secret.

By Saturday, the two main coalitions had not revealed their respective candidates although Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka has indicated that he will be introducing the late senator’s daughter, Ms Kethi Kilonzo, as the party’s choice.

But sources at IEBC returning offices in Wote town in Makueni County said names of the Party of Independent Candidates (Pick) boss John Harun Mwau, former Kibwezi MP Prof Philip Kaloki (URP), retired nurse Mrs Jane Kitundu (National Labour Party (LPK), and a former Kenya National Union of Teachers treasurer Mr Benson Kithuku (Wiper) had been received by June 5.

Wiper faces a tricky scenario as it prepares to marshal its forces for the big battle. The party leader is aware of the battle ahead and on Thursday he visited Machakos County where he gave an indication of his party’s desire to vigorously defend the seat Mr Kilonzo won for Wiper on March 4.

Addressing a crowd outside the T. Tot Hotel, Mr Musyoka, who was accompanied by Machakos Governor Dr Alfred Mutua, said the Makueni Senate seat was crucial for the party.

“Voters in Makueni will soon go to the polls to elect a new senator; the seat was ours and we ensure it stays with us it,” he said.

The July 22 by-election has far reaching consequences for the party which managed to win four Senate seats – Mombasa (Hassan Omar), Makueni (Mutula Kilonzo), David Musila (Kitui) and Mr Johnson Muthama (Machakos).

By winning the four seats, Wiper automatically qualified to name one nominee, and the slot went to Senator Judith Sijeny.

Pundits say a loss for Wiper will see their numbers in the Senate drop and hence affect their nomination slot.

Makueni also exposes a big supremacy battle pitting Mr Musyoka’s Wiper party against Narc which until last month was led by Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu. Despite leaving the party leadership to former Mutito MP Kiema  Kilonzo, Mrs Ngilu is said to still wield immense influence in the party.

Away from Wiper and Narc politics, the entry of Mr Mwau into the race has created a third force.

By Saturday Wiper was still banking their hopes on lawyer Ms Kilonzo.

On Thursday, Mr Musyoka in response to questions from journalists in Machakos said the party was still talking to her.

“On Thursday we are going to present the Wiper Party candidate for the Makueni senatorial by-election and your guess as good as mine on who that person will be,” Mr Musyoka said.

But Ms Kilonzo has been sending mixed signals whether she will run. The decision by her stepmother Mrs Nduku Kilonzo to announce her entry into the race a fortnight ago only to withdraw it two days later when all indications were that her stepdaughter was already in the game exposed differences in the late senator’s family.

Contacted for comment on Wednesday, Ms Kilonzo said: “If I had any say in the (by-election) the seat would not be vacant, and we would not need a by-election. I will deal with this at my pace and in my style. If that is what will cost me my name so be it. At least it will be on my own terms.”

The belief by Wiper party insiders and critics is that if she accepts to join the race then half the battle will have been won but if she declines and forces Wiper to scout for another candidate then the focus could turn to the Jubilee candidate strongly believed to be Prof Kaloki, a former close ally of Mr Musyoka and Mr John Harun Mwau who competed against the late Mutula and came third in the March elections.

The Jubilee coalition will have to move with speed and sort out a wrangle between deputy President William Ruto’s United Republican Party (URP) and Narc.

The two parties are fighting over the candidature of Prof Kaloki. Narc argues that URP should keep off the by-election and let it issue the candidate with a certificate.

In the run-up to the March elections, Prof Kaloki, who was then vying for the seat of governor on a Wiper ticket, had teamed up with Mr Mutula, who died April 27, and conducted a joint campaign that Mr Mutula won.

If Jubilee endorses him as their joint candidate and Ms Kilonzo accepts to carry the Cord flag, then many are hoping to see how the young woman face off with her late father’s friend.

Having tested the game the non-aligned Mr Mwau stands a better chance of benefiting from disjointed Wiper and Narc houses.

Mr Mwau could not be reached to comment, but PICK deputy chairman Julius Wambua confirmed they submitted the politician’s name to the IEBC on June 5.

“Yes, we presented his name and he will be in the race, because he has all it takes to become the senator of  Makueni. He has been tested before and his development record is evident volumes in the region,” Mr Wambua said.