PNU back to drawing board as Mwakwere edged out

As Transport minister Ali Chirau Mwakwere was sent home on Friday, the Party of National Unity was immediately prompted into hunting for a new point man at the Coast.

Kenyan politics is hinged on regional point men, making it the business of every ambitious political party to identify and support them by handing them lucrative ministerial positions.

This, perhaps, explains why Mr Mwakwere, who was among the few lawmakers that PNU bagged in the last General Election, was appointed to head the Ministry of Transport.

The immediate former Matuga MP, a free talking diplomat-turned politician with a gift of the gab, to a certain extent, was able to stand as the face of PNU at the Coast even though the party has only two lawmakers in the area.

Even though it is certain that PNU will stand by Mr Mwakwere through to the by-election, it would be naive for the party of the Torch to imagine that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will not be salivating at the opportune chance to add one more seat to the 12 it already holds in the region.

And should President Kibaki choose to fill the ministerial position left vacant before the by-election, his advisers would guide him to settle on an MP who will stand up to the challenge of its coalition partner. In line with the National Accord that established the Grand Coalition Government, the ministerial position belongs to PNU and its affiliate parties.

President Kibaki would have at his calling MPs Danson Mungatana (Garsen, Narc Kenya), Fahim Twaha (Narc Kenya), Francis Baya (Ganze, Kadu-Asili), Samuel Kazungu Kambi (Galole, PNU), Gonzi Rai (Kinango, Ford People), and Abu Chiaba (Lamu East, PNU). Taveta MP Naomi Shabaan, a Kanu member, already holds the docket of Special Programmes.

Mr Mungatana would have easily fitted the bill were his party not rebellious in PNU following the resignation of Narc-K chairperson Martha Karua as Justice minister. The Garsen MP, who was Medical Services assistant minister, also quit and took up the role of PNU’s critic. This also edges out Mr Twaha.

Mr Baya and Mr Chiaba are not outspoken and have not been given tasks by PNU in Parliament. Mr Rai, the Lands assistant minister, holds some weight. Having served more years than his colleagues, he could easily be promoted to full ministerial position.

However, Mr Kambi has more positives on his side if the party activities and assignments are to go by. The Kaloleni MP has been vocal in defending the position of PNU and the President both in regional and national platforms.

A member of the House committee on Agriculture and Livestock, Mr Kambi is a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on constitutional review, which recently struck a consensus on contentious issues in the draft constitution in Naivasha. Political parties chose their trusted members to sit on the committee with deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta leading the PNU team while his counterpart, Mr Musalia Mudavadi, headed the ODM team.

Ultimately, the MP, who is in good books with Mr Kenyatta, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Agriculture minister William Ruto who are close to the President, will carry the day.