Changwony, Tolgos play delicate tribal card to win votes

Elgeyo-Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos speak at a campaign rally at Kewapsos Village in Tambach in the county on July 10. He denied allegations of buying identity cards from voters to stifle opposition. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Elgeyo-Marakwet County has 180,664 registered voters, according to the latest statistics by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.  
  • The governor’s opposition mainly emanates from the Keiyo community, which feels that it has gotten a raw deal from him.
  • Mr Changwony, who comes from the Keiyo sub-tribe, emerged third in the ruling party’s primaries.
  • Governor Tolgos was not allowed to address the gathering, with residents, instead demanding that Mr Changwony, who was also present, speak.

When the country’s top leadership visited Elgeyo-Marakwet County last month, they were optimistic that their nominee for the region’s gubernatorial seat, Governor Alex Tolgos, will easily retain his seat—in fact, with a landslide.

However, before they ended their sojourn in the expansive county considered one of the Jubilee Party’s strongholds, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto may have had a change of mind.

This was after a number of supporters publicly challenged their endorsement of Mr Tolgos.

Interestingly, this opposition had not been made public until the day the President and his deputy visited.

REGISTERED VOTERS

The region has 180,664 registered voters, according to the latest statistics by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).  

It is important to note that Mr Tolgos did not face much opposition in the April primaries.

However, no sooner had he savoured that victory than he began encountering vicious opposition from one section of the county, which is inhabited by two Kalenjin sub-tribes—the Keiyo and the Marakwet.

Mr Tolgos belongs to the latter.

The governor’s opposition mainly emanates from the Keiyo community, which feels that it has gotten a raw deal from him.

TOLGOS

In Iten, the county headquarters, DP Ruto was shouted down by the crowd when he attempted to sell Mr Tolgos’s candidature with most of those attending the rally making known their choice of Mr Moses Changwony, who went independent after he lost in the Jubilee nominations.

Mr Changwony, who comes from the Keiyo sub-tribe, emerged third in the ruling party’s primaries.

Moses Changwony (centre), an independent candidate for the Elgeyo-Marakwet governorship, his running mate Lucas Chepkitony (left) and Keiyo South MP Jackson Kiptanui at a campaign rally at Kamwosor in the county on June 17. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

It was the same experience in Chepkorio, Keiyo South Sub-County, where the governor had accompanied President Kenyatta.

Governor Tolgos was not allowed to address the gathering, with residents, instead demanding that Mr Changwony, who was also present, speak.

SUPREMACY BATTLES

The contest has brought to the fore the supremacy battle between the Keiyo and Marakwet — two communities that have traditionally strived to outdo each other in one of the least-populated and poorest counties in the larger Rift Valley.

The Keiyos, now fronting Mr Changwony, a former Sasini Tea chief executive, believe that Mr Tolgos’s government has sidelined them since 2013 and are keen on putting their own at the helm of the county’s leadership.

The community also feels that it has been elbowed out of the Jubilee nominations after Marakwets won the tickets for the three key county posts—Woman Representative, Governor and Senator. This, they argue, left them with no post at the top.

GOVERNOR

In the 2013 elections, Marakwets, other the governor, also won the senatorial seat. Then, the Woman Rep’s seat was won by a Keiyo.

Mr Changwony, whose popularity has significantly risen since the hotly contested nominations, has been boosted by the support of outgoing Keiyo South MP Jackson Kiptanui, who emerged second in the Jubilee nominations.

In advancing his candidature, Mr Changwony has been asking his kinsmen to vote for him so as to protect their interests and develop the Keiyo side of the county.

He has also picked former Keiyo North MP Lucas Chepkitony as his running mate in a bid to consolidate his sub-tribe’s votes.

DISCRIMINATION

At most of his rallies, Mr Changwony has portrayed the Keiyo as victims of discrimination by the county government. For instance, he claims that distribution of public jobs has been skewed in favour of the Marakwet.

“We are not playing the tribal card so that we can attract votes but we are talking about serious underperformance in the Office of the Governor in the past five years,” said Mr Changwony.  “Employment opportunities have always been reserved for relatives.

“This is in the public domain.”

Mr Changwony however defended himself against accusations of treading on a divisive path by seeking to push the Keiyo against the Marakwets instead of traversing the county to seek votes from all county stakeholders.

TRIBAL

“Why are we being labelled tribal when we come together?” Mr Changwony wondered when asked why he was pushing the Keiyo to vote for one of their own.

“It is not wrong for the people of Keiyo to meet and deliberate on our political destiny because other communities have been doing this anyway.

“The voting pattern in Marakwet during the nominations was tribal because all of us from Keiyo who contested almost got zero votes from their side.

“Voters in Keiyo were, on the other hand, democratic because they gave everyone votes—unlike in Marakwet.

“So really, who is tribal?”

ACCUSATIONS

Governor Tolgos has always dismissed accusations that he sidelined the Keiyo.

“All this propaganda you hear from my detractors that I have marginalised the Keiyo are just desperate claims to malign my candidature and soil my name,” said Mr Tolgos.

“I have always treated both Keiyos and Marakwets equally.”

Mr Tolgos exuded confidence that he will emerge victorious in the coming polls.

“I don’t need my party’s support to deal with Changwony,” said Mr Tolgos.

THREE TIMES

“This is someone I have beaten three times before—in 2013 and in the recent party primaries—and I am confident I will still beat him again regardless of the propaganda he is desperately peddling against me.”

The rivalry between the two has overshadowed the mountain of hardships in the county, such as poverty and insecurity.

The boundary between the county and West Pokot has, for several months, been in turmoil and, despite deployment of police reservists, attacks and counter-attacks continue.

CHALLENGES

Mr Changwony says he will tackle all these challenges and transform the economy by establishing milk coolers in every sub-county and at least two tea factories.

“Once I am elected, I can tell you that people like Tolgos will be surprised to see how we will develop the county and he will forgive himself for sleeping in that office,” said Mr Changwony.

The other gubernatorial candidates are Mr Absalom Kipchumba of Kanu, Mr Anthony Chelimo (independent) and Mr Timothy Biwott (ODM).