Powerful families set to clash in race for Kitui West MP

Campaigns for the Kitui West by-election have begun after the electoral agency announced that voters in the constituency will go back to the polls on March 26.

The parliamentary seat, which fell vacant following the death of Mr Francis Nyenze, was officially declared vacant by the Speaker of National Assembly on December 27, paving way for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to organise the mini-poll.

According to a gazette notice published on Friday by the commission, political parties have only 12 days from today to conclude the nomination of candidates and resolve any intra-party disputes on or before January 19.

“Each political party intending to participate in the by-election shall submit names of the persons contesting in a party primary and the date of the party primary on or before January 10,” read the gazette notice.

Those wishing to participate as independent candidates were supposed to submit their names and the election symbols they will use by Saturday.

REPLACE NYENZE

Prospective candidates are racing against time in preparation for the first by-election of the 12th Parliament to replace Mr Nyenze, who succumbed to colon cancer on December 6 last year. According to election laws, any vacancy in the office of an MP must be filled within 90 days, once the seat has been declared vacant.

Front runners for the seat include the MP’s widow Edith Vethi Nyenze and Nairobi businessman Maluki Mwendwa, son of Kenya’s first African Chief Justice Kitili Mwendwa.

They are the only aspirants who have announced they will be seeking the Wiper party ticket, which sponsored Mr Nyenze to the House.

Five more aspirants, including three who contested against Mr Nyenze in the August General Election and two fresh faces, are also hoping to capture the seat.

Mr Maluki’s debut in the race has complicated matters for Mrs Nyenze who hoped to get direct nomination from Wiper after getting endorsement.

DILEMMA

He has been the chairman of the National Environment Management Authority while Mrs Nyenze, a former secondary school principal, retired last year from the Retirement Benefits Authority. Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka is faced with a huge dilemma because the two leading candidates seeking his party’s ticket are his close friends.

Mr Nyenze was the minority leader in the last Parliament having been nominated to the plum position by Mr Musyoka, while Mr Mwendwa’s family has long standing relationship with the former Vice President dating as far back as the 1980s.

His mother, former Cabinet Minister Nyiva Mwendwa, had held the seat for a record four terms and has been a pillar of Mr Musyoka’s politics in the region, while his father Kitili and uncle Kyale Mwendwa had also served as MPs for Kitui west.

Mr Musyoka has categorically declared that Wiper, the dominant party in the region, will not give direct ticket to any aspirant and that the exercise will be free and fair. “For the sake of our party’s future growth and confidence among Kenyans, let’s give all aspirants an equal chance to seek the Wiper ticket,” said Mr Musyoka in response to calls to have Mrs Nyenze endorsed as sole candidate for the party.

WIPER TICKET

With only 12 days remaining for political parties to determine who their candidates will be, the fight for the Wiper ticket will be most fierce.

Mrs Nyenze has her younger brother, the current senator of Kitui Enoch Wambua, on her side alongside Kauwi MCA Jane Mutua while Mr Maluki has the other three Kitui West MCAs and the larger Mwendwa family behind him.

The Wiper primary pitting the Mr Maluki against Mrs Nyenze rekindles memories of the Nyiva Mwendwa – Francis Nyenze political rivalry of the yesteryears. Whoever wins the Wiper party ticket between the two will stand a better chance of winning the main election.

VIGOROUS CAMPAIGNS

Mrs Nyenze conducted vigorous campaigns across the constituency to make sure her husband won on August 8, even at a time when he was seriously ill and in hospital.

The other candidates in the race include Mr Robert Mutiso Leli (Ford-Kenya) who came second in the August poll, Mr Hannington Mbiti (Muungano) who was third and Mr Ben Mbai of Jubilee Party who came fourth.

The three face the challenge of financing fresh election campaigns, five months after a gruelling and costly one in August.

Fresh faces include Mr Fred Kimanga, a former district officer who served as deputy county secretary in Kitui, Nairobi lawyer Benjamin Musyoki and businessman Benedict Mutiso.