Hot contest in Kitutu Chache South as seven candidates eye seat

Incumbent Kitutu Chache South MP Richard Onyonka addressing parents, teachers and pupils at Eronge Primary School during a funds drive on June 24, 2016. The legislator is seeking to defend his seat on a Ford Kenya ticket and faces stiff competition from other candidates in Nasa affiliated parties. PHOTO | BENSON MOMANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The electoral commission postponed the parliamentary race to November 7, following the death of the then Jubilee candidate Leonard Mwamba in a road accident, just a month to the August 8 polls.

  • Clan, party popularity and financial muscle are some of the factors that will determine who will win the race.

  • Mr Onyonka says Kitutu Chache is an opposition stronghold and not just an ODM zone.

Failure by Nasa affiliate parties to agree on who will take on Jubilee candidate Anthony Kibagendi in the Kitutu Chache South parliamentary race may cost them the seat. 

The electoral commission postponed the parliamentary race to November 7, following the death of the then Jubilee candidate Leonard Mwamba in a road accident, just a month to the August 8 polls.

TheNation has, however, established that while Ford Kenya is fronting the incumbent - Richard Onyonka, ODM on the other hand, has backed its candidate Samuel Omwando.

Wiper Party on the other hand, is pushing for Mr Andrew Maubi to be the sole candidate while Amani National Congress has backed Mr Justus Mochoge.

The other candidates are Mr Jimmy Onkangi (PDP) and Morara Nyarang’o (Kanu).

BOTCHED NOMINATIONS

Mr Onyonka was initially in ODM but ditched it for Ford Kenya citing botched nominations. 

He claimed the move was precipitated by the fact that the ODM leadership was favouring his opponent.

Mr Kibagendi lost to Mr Omwando during the ODM nominations earlier this year. Crestfallen, he shelved his ambitions to be area MP, ditched ODM and opted to campaign for President Uhuru Kenyatta re-election.

Clan, party popularity and financial muscle are some of the factors that will determine who will win the race.

SECOND TIME

For Mr Kibagendi, it will be the second time he will be seeking to unseat Mr Onyonka, who is currently serving his third term in parliament.

During the campaigns, ahead of the August polls, Mr Kibagendi played a vital role in marshalling the electorate to vote for President Uhuru Kenyatta.

In an interview with the Nation, Mr Kibagendi says Jubilee had already gained considerable ground in Kisii County and its popularity will see him win the seat.

“Kisii County is no longer a swing vote but a Jubilee zone. We can see what took place in August and it will not be any different,” he said.

STRONG CANDIDATE

He believes he is a strong candidate.

“I beat Mr Omwando during the ODM nominations but my victory was stolen,” he says.

However, his sentiments have been opposed by Mr Omwando and Mr Onyonka.

“It is evident even from the August elections that Kitutu Chache South is an ODM stronghold so there is no way any candidate will make it,” said Mr Omwando, an ally of Kisii Governor James Ongwae.

All the wards in the constituency are represented by members from the opposition. On his take, Mr Onyonka believes that he should represent the people for the next five years.

OPPOSITION STRONGHOLD

Mr Onyonka says Kitutu Chache is an opposition stronghold and not just an ODM zone.

“It is wrong to say that one of the parties in the opposition is higher than the other because we are all busy campaigning,” he said.

He asked the people to first elect Mr Raila Odinga as the president before they embark on an individual campaign for the parliamentary seat.

Prof Nyangwencha Nyamweya, a don at the United States International University, however, argues the candidate who will campaign well will carry the day. 

According to him, Kisii people don’t vote parties but they have a focus on individual capabilities.

“Any of the candidates has a chance. All that matters is how they will campaign,” he said.