Devolution has brought democracy to Kisumu

Kenyans tend to see the benefits of devolution in the various development projects or services brought closer to them in the past one and a half years.

A much less told but equally important story of devolution, however, is how it is expanding the democratic space in some areas as well.

My home county of Kisumu used to be a study in political monopoly where single party elite interests held sway, and the people’s will counted for little at the ballot.

To win a parliamentary or civic seat one only had to demonstrate or fake loyalty to the party or the party leader.

But the voting patterns in last year’s election – the first one held under the new Constitution – showed that folks here were quick to identify the link between local politics and control of devolved resources.

Voters defied the wishes of the party and went for Jack Ranguma, a relative outsider, for governor against the backdrop of widespread speculation that Ruth Odinga, sister to the ODM party leader Raila Odinga, was the preferred candidate.

POLITICAL FORCE

Ms Odinga, the deputy governor and a political force in the county in her own right, has repeatedly denied those claims.

Governor Ranguma, a professional accountant who speaks with a stammer, is hardly charismatic and he will most probably struggle trying to defend his seat in the next election.

Legitimate questions are being raised about his performance so far, but his biggest challenge remains the perception that the party leadership is uncomfortable with him and could even be working to undermine him.

Word on the street is that the party establishment is already grooming a replacement, with the name of Shakeel Shabbir, the Kisumu East MP, popping up in many conversations.

Mr Shabbir is a past beneficiary of such politburo decisions, having been handpicked for the Kisumu mayoral seat at one time.

A two-term MP, he has outfoxed his opponents in the partly-urban constituency, exploiting cultural sentiment in the villages to worm his way into many hearts and minds.

DELIVER MAIZE

Mr Shabbir’s aides are reportedly on standby to deliver a bag of maize to every bereaved family to help with feeding mourners.

If he were to throw his hat in the ring for the Kisumu governor’s post he would have to deal with some new dynamics, including a much larger area, a bigger population size and a rural voting majority.

But the biggest disadvantage for a Shabbir candidacy would be, ironically, what worked for him a few years ago – being seen to be handpicked by Mr Odinga or the party elite.

From what I have gathered from conversations in the past two weeks here, folks are in no mood to stake their devolution dividend on political proxy games.

That alone would be enough to hand Mr Ranguma or any other outsider a fighting chance.

Otieno Otieno is Chief Sub-Editor, Business Daily