Battle for key western vote resumes

President Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga have once again locked horns in a fierce battle for key voting blocs with only two years to the election.

The formation last week of a new party, the United Democratic Party (UDP), by former Parliament Speaker Kenneth Marende and former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo has opened the latest battlefront between Mr Kenyatta, Mr Odinga and 2013 second runner-up Musalia Mudavadi.

While new party’s founders were quick to say its sole aim is to unite the fractious Luhya, Mr Marende’s weekend remarks seemed to suggest the path UDP will take.

Speaking at a function in western Kenya, Mr Marende said: “If we unite, others will be willing to partner with us. We will be taken seriously. Already, Jubilee leaders are willing to work with us if we unite.”

He dismissed Mr Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress as a non-starter. “Amani is going nowhere. It may be a vehicle to fool the people. We want a solid party that will unite people from the region.”
Observers were quick to attribute Mr Marende’s recent flirtation with Jubilee to his appointment as chief mediator in the Central African Republic political crisis and as Kenya Power chairman.

Kericho Senator Charles Keter, an influential figure in Jubilee, confirmed that Mr Marende was on their side. “Of course Marende is in Jubilee, he is Uhuru’s appointee. We are working with them.”
Mr Marende was Mr Odinga’s pointman in Vihiga County in the last General Election after which Cord sponsored him to contest for the speaker’s job, which he lost to Jubilee’s Justin Muturi.

Mr Jirongo too, was an Odinga pointman in Kakamega and vied for the county’s senate seat on the Cord ticket but lost to Dr Boni Khalwale, who ran on Mr Mudavadi’s UDF.

“We saw it coming. Marende and Jirongo have been attacking Raila and Musalia at funerals across western yet even a class one pupil in Vihiga knows it is Raila who propped up Marende, not the other way round. Raila will not lose much with his departure,” said ODM nominated Councillor Ben Ombima.

SPLIT THE REGION

Funyula MP Paul Otuoma warned against numerous political parties, saying this would split the region further.

Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi also expressed similar sentiments. “I think Marende is losing it. From Speaker of the National Assembly, he cannot stoop this low. I think they are just causing more divisions among us by forming more political parties,” he said.

However, former Cabinet minister Soita Shitanda, who was recently appointed Agricultural Development Corporation chairman, said Mr Marende and Mr Jirongo had a right to form a political party.
“I have no problem with anybody forming a party in western. It is happening everywhere,” he said.

He downplayed reports that he had joined the party, saying he only associated closely with the two politicians. “I closely associate with Marende and Jirongo but I am still in New Ford Kenya,” he said.
It is not only in western Kenya where Mr Kenyatta seems determined to make inroads.

In Kisii and Nyamira counties, which voted overwhelmingly for Mr Odinga in 2013, Mr Kenyatta has made several key appointments to state corporations.

They include Judy Nyachae, Kenneth Bitange (both relatives of former minister Simeon Nyachae), former ministers Henry Obwocha, Sam Ongeri, former MP Walter Nyambati and lawyers Ken Ogeto and Gerishom Otachi.

Yet the Jubilee coalition may find the going tough in Maasai land with all the Mps in Narok county falling out with Mr Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto’s leadership.

They include senator Stephen Ole Ntutu and MPs Moitalel Kenta (Narok North), Korei Lemein (Narok South), Patrick Ntutu (Narok West) and Johana Ngeno (Emurwa Dikir).