The bitter truth is, ‘political unity’ in Central is a mirage

The much sought-after political unity in Central Kenya was elusive in 2019, and is set to remain a mirage in 2020 and beyond.

FORMATIONS

Despite spirited efforts by different groups to impose Kikuyu unity in Central region, the actions and utterances of leaders indicate that Kenyatta II succession politics has overwhelmed nearly all community institutions and none has sway over the tribal rank and file.

Until such an institution or personality steps up to the plate, or a major event happens to rally people together, things will remain in a state of flux that makes unity calls a mirage into the foreseeable future.

The latest indicators of an elusive unity involve rising rhetoric about rolling out activities by at least three political parties with roots in the region and led by individuals with known political ambitions for high office.

Ever since the ruling Jubilee Party chose the Christmas break to announce plans to conduct grassroots elections starting next March, two other formations have emerged to announce their presence and intentions to run parallel political programmes separate from the Jubilee brigade.

CLEAR SIGNAL

Among these include retired President Kibaki’s Party of National Unity (PNU). PNU honchos, including Laikipia Governor Nderitu Muriithi and Ndaragwa Member of Parliament and 2013 Presidential running mate of Mr Musalia Mudavadi, Jeremiah Kioni, chose the annual prayer meeting organised by the Kikuyu Council of Elders (KCE) to introduce PNU interim office bearers.

During the event held on December 31 at Nyahururu Stadium and attended by about 3,000 people, Mr Kioni introduced the PNU national office bearers and announced that they will “soon be coming back to talk with you”.

Last weekend, a group of politicians, including parliamentarians from Nyeri and Laikipia, urged Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri to “lead us and show us the way forward”, in statements heavily loaded with insinuations about launching new political outfits.

The implications of these initiatives and public utterances have sent a clear signal that whatever Jubilee party does or does not do, is no longer the sole player in the politics of the region.

HOUSE OF MUMBI

Of greater significance is the possibility of sitting MPs and senior political players like Mr Kiunjuri, Mr Kioni and sitting governors and deputy governors giving Jubilee elections a wide berth and instead choosing to roll out their own initiatives as was the case in the ‘90s when leading political lights bailed out of ruling party Kanu in droves to join new outfits.

This will finally bring out both the names, shape, form and architecture of Kenyatta II succession key players from the region. 

Besides political parties and actors, the dread of the spectre of a Kenyatta II succession spasms resulting in splintering of the Kikuyu nation into northern and southern enclaves and along Rift Valley and Central regional fault lines, was a major theme in speeches at the Nyahururu event. 

ONE VOICE

Led by officials of the two rival councils of elders — Kiama Kia Ma chairman Kigochi Waimiri and Kikuyu Council of Elders (KCE) national organising secretary James Nene and vice-chair David Muthoga — they singled out a recent visit to the Sugoi rural home of Deputy President William Ruto for castigation over an alleged conspiracy to split the House of Mumbi. During the visit to Sugoi in mid-December, elders led by a founding KCE member and Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri, vested the DP with elders’ regalia and instruments, before making a declaration that “Kikuyu community members in the Rift Valley were solidly behind his leadership.”

“How many communities are these people talking about? We should speak with one voice,” said Mr Nene, putting in plain language the quandary unity proponents in the community find themselves in. 

Four major caucuses were organised in 2019 at community level — cultural, religious, political, business and academia — but none ever came up with actionable resolutions or ideas to resolve the unity ideology.

CAUCUSES

These include the Uongozi Forum held last June in Nairobi that brought together the Mt Kenya Economic Bloc caucus of governors chaired by Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia, parliamentarians and political leaders who included Narc-K leader Martha Karua, scholars and professionals.