Intrigues that led Mwakwere to decamp to Raila’s ODM party

Kenya's ambassador to Tanzania Chirau Ali Mwakwere. He has declared interest in running for Kwale governorship in an ODM ticket. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Initially, indications were that Mr Mwakwere would be Jubilee’s automatic candidate for the Kwale gubernatorial seat.
  • Sources close to the three Coast politicians say Mr Mwakwere’s defection was precipitated by Mr Mvurya’s defection to the ruling coalition.
  • Mvurya as a dignified leader who had no business being in the opposition where leaders had no respect for others.
  • Mr Mwakwere indicated that he was open to a move to ODM saying there was nothing strange in leaders’ switching parties.

The move by Kenya’s ambassador to Tanzania Chirau Mwakwere to seek the ODM ticket to run for Kwale governorship has not come as a surprise for those who have been closely following the county’s politics.

When it became apparent that Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya was on his way out of the Orange Democratic Movement, former Kinango MP Simeon Mkalla who is expected to be Mr Mwakwere’s running mate for the seat, became a common sight at major ODM rallies and especially those addressed by party leader Raila Odinga.

Initially, indications were that Mr Mwakwere would be Jubilee’s automatic candidate for the Kwale gubernatorial seat by virtue of being the most senior local in the Jubilee administration.

That was until Mr Mvurya defected to the governing party, occasioning the current political re-alignment in the county and Coast politics in general.

In the last elections, Mr Mwakwere contested the county’s senatorial seat on a United Republican Party (URP) and lost to ODM’s Boy Juma Boy and was later appointed to his current position as a reward for his loyalty to the Jubilee cause.

Since then, it has been an open secret that the former cabinet minister in the Kibaki administration had set his sights on Mr Mvurya’s seat on the Jubilee ticket.

Come this week and Mr Mwakwere held a surprise meeting with Mr Odinga in Nairobi where his defection to ODM is said to have dominated talks.
The meeting, the Sunday Nation learnt, was arranged by Mombasa Governor and ODM’s kingpin in the Coast region, Mr Ali Hassan Joho. Also in attendance was Mr Mkalla.

FRUSTRATED IN ODM

Sources close to the three Coast politicians told Sunday Nation that Mr Mwakwere’s defection was precipitated by Mr Mvurya’s defection to the ruling coalition just before the merger of the Jubilee affiliated parties in early September.

Mr Mvurya’s announcement during a function attended by President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto at the Jomo Kenyatta Primary School in Msambweni that he would work with the government after allegedly being frustrated in ODM is said to have caught Mr Mwakwere and Mr Mkalla who were seated at the presidential dais by surprise.

Although there had been whispers that Mr Mvurya was having a strained relationship with the ODM branch officials and was warming up to Jubilee, the announcement caught many by surprise given that the region is a strong ODM zone.

When they rose to speak, Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto praised the governor for his ‘‘impressive’’ development record the head of state describing Mr Mvurya as a dignified leader who had no business being in the opposition where leaders had no respect for others.

Later that evening, Mr Mwakwere and Mr Mkalla are said to have retreated to a private members’ club in Mombasa to analyse and digest what had transpired before deciding the next step in their political journeys.

A few days later, in an interview with the Sunday Nation, Mr Mwakwere indicated that he was open to a move to ODM saying there was nothing strange in leaders’ switching parties.

TREAD CAREFULLY

On September 10, while on a visit to Kinango constituency, Mr Mvurya’s home turf, ODM leader Mr Odinga paraded Mr Mkalla as being among the Kwale leadership he was ready to work with to dislodge Jubilee from power.

In Kwale, ODM officials, aspirants and supporters welcomed Mr Mwakwere’s entry into the party with mixed feelings; a section of the aspirants who are eyeing the governor’s seat on the party’s ticket warning Mr Odinga to tread carefully.

Among those who have declared interest in challenging Mr Mvurya on ODM ticket include Kwale county ODM vice chairperson Nicholas Zani, Kwale County Assembly Speaker Sammy Ruwa, former Permanent Secretary Mohamed Mwarapayo, Gereza Dena and Issa Chipera.

Mr Zani warned ODM against giving Mr Mwakwere direct nomination saying it will be a repeat of the 2013 election when Mr Mvurya was also handed the ticket.

He maintained that Mr Mwakwere was no longer popular in the county and would easily lose to Mr Mvurya.

“We are very happy that Mwakwere has joined ODM because it is a clear indication that ODM is the party to beat in Kwale, but when it comes to the gubernatorial race he will not have an easy run,” Mr Zani stated.

However, former ODM chairperson for Matuga Hassan Chitembe said Mr Mwakwere is the best candidate to beat Mr Mvurya.

“We support Mr Mwakwere for expressing interest to vie for governorship in an ODM ticket and as Kwale residents we are happy for him,” he said.

Separately, the chairperson of Council of Imams and Scholars Sheikh Hamisi Banda who recently endorsed Issa Chipera asked Mr Mwakwere to support the new entrant.

“Our position is still the same that Dr Issa Chipera has to be given this position because he has never worked with government,” he said.

On his part Mr Ruwa welcomed Mr Mwakwere in ODM saying he is ready to face him during the nominations.

DIFFERENT ELECTIVE POSITIONS

“ODM welcomes everyone to join and vie for different elective positions. I do not know which position Mr Mwakwere is aspiring for but if its governorship I am ready to face him,” he said.

Mr Mkalla exuded confidence that the Kwale vote was as good as a done deal for him and Mr Mwakwere. 

“During the 2013 election, I got more votes in Kinango which is supposed to be Mr Mvurya’s home ground, than he did. It is the same votes that I am carrying to ODM for Mr Mwakwere as his running mate,” he said. 

Mr Mkalla vied for the governor’s seat on a UDF ticket coming second with 22,262 votes against Mr Mvurya’s 63,078 votes.

The public opinion in parts of Kwale county is that both Mr Mwakwere and Mr Mkalla are political spent forces with no new ideas to bring on board.

Reacting to these sentiments, Mr Mkalla said whoever was spreading that propaganda “lacks respect for the old people and should stop it”. 

“Whoever is claiming we are old, don’t they have old people in their families? That is being disrespectful to us. In ODM, we welcome people of all ages, background, race, creed, youth, boys, girls, women and men,” he said.  

Mr Zani on the other hand, maintains that he is the front runner for the ODM ticket in the party primaries.  Apart from declaring himself the voters’ preferred candidate, Mr Zani says he coordinated all rallies addressed by Mr Odinga in the area, supported the party during the Okoa Kenya campaign, paid its office rent, participated in the March Malindi by-election and “participated in all its functions”.

 Additional Reporting by Daniel Nyassy.