The political tide that swept Kabogo and his cohort away

Kiambu County gubernatorial aspirant Ferdinand Waititu addressing reporters at the Jubilee Party headquarters in Nairobi on April 24, 2017. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Waititu's political camp also had preferred MP and ward representative candidates, and almost all of them handily won nominations for the seats they are seeking.
  • In Ruiru, Esther Gathogo, who was among three MPs in the county openly backing Mr Kabogo, lost to businessman Ng'ang'a King’ara.
  • Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, who had cut ties with Governor Kabogo, won the ticket to defend his seat after beating Joyce Ngugi.

When the political contest between Kiambu Governor William Kabogo and his friend-turned-foe Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu escalated to a bruising and brutal battle, the latter vowed to not only kick out the governor, but also ensure all his allies followed him. 

And when Mr Waititu kicked off his spirited campaign, he publicly fought other elected leaders who were Mr Kabogo’s backers, and asked the electorate to vote them out, anyone who was not in his camp that was later named United for Kiambu.

The streetwise politician even created a slogan that he used at his rallies: “Rita rĩrĩ turacina nyoka na matumbĩ mayo" (This season, we are cremating the snake and its eggs).

The “snake” was Mr Kabogo, since he is the county chief, the eggs were his allies, and by cremation, Mr Waititu meant to have all of them voted out.

A former adviser to the Presidency on agriculture and food security, James Nyoro, Mr Waititu's running mate, led a team that campaigned for Mr Waititu.

Others in the team included politician John Mugwe, who is making his debut into elective politics, and Aquiline Githendu, who unsuccessfully vied for the Senate seat in 2013.

The team had its preferred candidates for senator, woman representative, MP and ward representative who accompanied Mr Waititu at all his rallies.

VICTORY

For the county seats, the team had Karungo wa Thang’wa as the preferred candidate to dislodge incumbent Kimani Wamatangi, while radio host Gathoni Wamuchomba was the candidate to oust Anna Nyokabi in the woman rep race. 

Mr Waititu's political camp also had preferred MP and ward representative candidates, and almost all of them handily won nominations for the seats they are seeking.

Mr Wamatangi was running an independent campaign while Ms Nyokabi, a cousin of President Uhuru Kenyatta, was in the same camp with Mr Kabogo, who also had former Limuru MP George Nyanja as the preferred Senate candidate.

WAMATANGI WEATHERS STORM

While other county leaders who were not in Mr Waititu’s camp were handed embarrassing defeats, Senator Wamatangi defied the Mr Waititu-led political wave that affected nearly 90 per cent of elected leaders in the county.

Mr Thang’wa failed to dislodge Mr Wamatangi, who is now sure of being re-elected, with analysts saying a Jubilee ticket in the region is as good as a win    

Mr Wamatangi, who did not associate himself with any candidate vying for any of the other 74 seats, garnered 206,282 votes to survive the hurricane that also swept away six MPs and 82 members of the the county assembly.

Mr Thang’wa garnered 178,814 votes.

Mr Nyanja was third with 28,176 votes, followed by John Kabogo (7, 110) and former Juja MP Stephen Ndichu (5,842).

Mr Kabogo lost to Mr Waititu, who garnered 353,604 votes, while he got 69,916 votes.

DEFEAT

During the primaries held on Tuesday, Ms Gathoni garnered 404,290 votes to give Ms Nyokabi, who got 28,874, an embarrassing defeat.

Mr Watitu’s camp swept almost all parliamentary seats, apart from Gatundu North, where nominated MCA and former broadcaster Wanjiku Wa Kibe beat incumbent Kigo Njenga, and in Juja, where pro-Kabogo incumbent Francis Waititu got the Jubilee ticket to defend his seat.

Of interest is how Ms Wanjiku, who previously worked as a presenter on Kameme FM and is perceived to be a close ally of Mr Kabogo, weathered the storm.

In Ruiru, Esther Gathogo, who was among three MPs in the county who were openly backing Mr Kabogo, lost to businessman Ng'ang'a King’ara, who was in Mr Waititu’s camp, while Lari’s Mburu Kahangara lost to Jonah Mburu, a perceived Waititu’s friend.

Githunguri’s Njoroge Baiya, the only MP in the county who escaped the tide that swept all his colleagues in 2013, had taken a neutral stand in the governor's race, but was beaten by fellow dairy farmer Kago wa Lydia, who has been Mr Waititu’s supporter.

KABOGO 'PROJECTS' THRASHED

Sitting MPs nominated to seek re-election are Thika’s Alice Ng'ang'a, who, along with Mr Waititu and some MPs, have sustained the war against Mr Kabogo and his administration.

She narrowly beat businessman Patrick Wainaina, popularly known as 'Jungle' because of his Thika-based macadamia processor called Jungle Nut, and who was not supporting Mr Waititu.

Kiambu Town’s Jude Njomo and his Kikuyu counterpart Kimani Ichung’wa, who were sure of being nominated because of their popularity, thrashed Njenga Wa Mabati and Owen Wanjiku, respectively.

Mr Wa Mabati and Mr Wanjiku were viewed as Mr Kabogo’s projects to fight the two MPs, who have been among the governor’s fiercest critics.

Kiambaa’s Paul Koinange, another backer of Mr Waititu, was nominated to defend his seat after beating Kariri Njama, while in Limuru, John Kiragu, who was silent on the candidate he was backing for the county's top seat, was shown the door by former area MP Pater Mwathi, who has been working with Mr Waititu to fight the governor.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, who had cut ties with Governor Kabogo, was picked to defend his seat after beating Joyce Ngugi, wife of former MP Jossy Ngugi, and who has been on Mr Kabogo’s side.

And in Kabete, Gathua Wamachukuru, a close ally of Mr Waititu who wants to succeed him as MP, bagged the Jubilee ticket.