Jubilee focuses on Western as fortunes in Gusiiland wane
Deputy President William Ruto addresses supporters during the homecoming ceremony for Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka on September 29, 2017 in Bungoma County. Jubilee has shifted focus to western region as support in Gusiiland wanes. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Sources in the President’s Jubilee party have hinted to the Nation that Mr Kenyatta and his running mate, Deputy President William Ruto, have elaborate campaign plans that will see the region turned into a battleground.
The plot is not to stop wooing voters in Kisii and Nyamira counties but rather to try and adopt western Kenya as a counter strategy should the Gusii disappoint at the ballot box.
There are also pockets of non-Luhya communities in Busia and Bungoma counties, among them the Teso and the Saboat, which Jubilee campaigners hope to sway towards their side.
Nasa leader Raila Odinga may well have an upper hand in the western Kenya vote hunt but there is no denying that President Uhuru Kenyatta is gradually making progress, though minimal, in a region regarded as an opposition stronghold ahead of the repeat presidential election.
Sources in the President’s Jubilee party have hinted to the Nation that Mr Kenyatta and his running mate, Deputy President William Ruto, have elaborate campaign plans that will see the region turned into a battleground.
The decision to up the stakes in Luhyaland is partly informed by Jubilee’s dwindling fortunes in the neighbouring counties — Kisii and Nyamira — owing to the sustained attacks on Chief Justice David Maraga by the President and his deputy following last month’s ruling by the Supreme Court to annul the presidential results.
Mr Maraga hails from Nyamira and the residents, who have previously taken to the streets in protest over Jubilee’s treatment of “our son”, perceive the attacks against the CJ as an affront to the larger Gusii community.
BETTER ALTERNATIVE
At the height of the protests, Kitutu Chache MP Jimmy Angwenyi, who is allied to Jubilee, warned operatives within the party that the onslaught against the Supreme Court judges could boomerang on them.
With Gusiiland apparently slipping out of their hands, Jubilee insiders have confided to the Nation, a switch to western Kenya is the “better alternative”, thanks to the populous Luhya community, whose members reside within and outside the region.
The plot is not to stop wooing voters in Kisii and Nyamira counties but rather to try and adopt western Kenya as a counter strategy should the Gusii disappoint at the ballot box.
To date, Jubilee leaders, particularly the DP, have made more campaign tours in the region than any other part of the country.
Perhaps only Kajiado and Narok counties came second to Jubilee’s forays in western Kenya.
SUSTAINED CAMPAIGNS
Only last week, Mr Ruto was in Bunandi village, Funyula constituency, where he officially received the former MP for the area and loser in the Busia County governorship race, Dr Paul Otuoma, into the Jubilee camp.
Hardly five days later, Mr Ruto was back, for a series of functions, including the official welcoming of Mr Alfred Khang’ati, another governorship poll loser (Bungoma), to Jubilee.
On Friday, Mr Ruto was joined by Mr Kenyatta during campaign tours in Busia and Bungoma, culminating in the homecoming ceremony for Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka.
For a third consecutive day, Saturday, the Jubilee leaders sustained campaigns in the region with several functions, including a closed-door meeting in Kakamega County for party supporters, funds drives in Chwele and Namwela in Bungoma County and a homecoming party for Mumias East MP Ben Washiali.
NUMBER OF LEADERS
By the time of filing this report, Vihiga county governorship poll loser Yusuf Shanzu was also expected to officially defect to Jubilee.
Jubilee’s efforts to win over voters in Luhyaland is boosted by a number of leaders, among them six former Cabinet ministers from the community — Mr Musikari Kombo, Mr Fred Gumo, Mr Noah Wekesa, Mr Chris Okemo, Mr Ababu Namwamba, and Dr Otuoma. Other leaders involved are former Speaker of the National Assembly Kenneth Marende, a host of ex-assistant ministers and former MPs.
The strategy of the President’s party has been to include all losers in the August 8 General Election and other disgruntled political players into the campaigns.
Political commentator Edward Kisiang’ani said the ploy is working for the Jubilee leaders “at least on the psychological front”. He observed that the strategy accords the leaders the much-needed energy to accelerate their campaigns.
The Kenyatta University lecturer said the strategy will, however, not necessarily translate into numbers.
NON-POLITICAL HOMOGENEIY
The Jubilee campaigns are aimed at exploiting the perceived non-political homogeneity among the Luhya sub-tribes.
Towards this end, they have targeted the larger Bukusu, who occupy Bungoma County, a factor that is reflected in their appointments to senior State jobs.
Mr Lusaka, who was recently elected Senate Speaker, for instance, now joins the only two Luhya Cabinet ministers — Mr Eugene Wamalwa (Water) and Prof Judi Wakhungu (Environment). All are Bukusu.
There are also pockets of non-Luhya communities in Busia and Bungoma counties, among them the Teso and the Saboat, which Jubilee campaigners hope to sway towards their side.
This explains why Mr Ruto’s inroads in the area over the last one year have been through Mt Elgon, Teso South and Teso North constituencies. The DP’s rallying call has been “Wakati huu, lazima tutatembea pamoja (This time around, we have to move as a team).
OVERALL AIM
Kimilili MP Didmas Barasa (Jubilee) said the overall aim is to ensure there is an increase of at least 10 per cent of the votes the President won on August 8.
In the whole region, Bungoma had the highest number of votes for the President, at 33 per cent.
“There is a clear testament that Jubilee delivers. Out of the top six positions available in Parliament, western Kenya has two (Senate Speaker Lusaka and National Assembly Chief Whip Ben Washiali). We will mount sustained campaigns until the last day and the good thing is that our development and inclusivity message is resonating with voters,” said Mr Barasa.
However, there are indications that Jubilee’s western Kenya charm offensive is not going to be a walk in the park. National Super Alliance’s national campaign manager Musalia Mudavadi said the opposition leaders are aware of Jubilee’s political onslaught and have, accordingly, sealed all the loopholes.
Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula, who is one of Nasa’s co-principals, is a member of the Bukusu sub-tribe and is determined to debunk the notion that Jubilee has made inroads in Bungoma.
AVENUE FOR RIGGING
Similarly, in Busia, it is hoped that the win by ODM’s Sospeter Ojaamong over Dr Otuoma in the governorship race will help Nasa to secure voters in Teso South and North.
According to Mr Mudavadi, Jubilee’s persistent presence in the region is not meant to win the party votes but rather to create a false impression of its growing support in western Kenya and use it as an avenue for rigging:
“The forays are a smokescreen in preparation for manual rigging. We know their trick. They are setting the stage to say ‘we campaigned here and look what we got’. You heard the DP gloat about the votes they got and were annulled summarily by the Supreme Court,” said Mr Mudavadi
The one-time vice-president said it does not matter how long Jubilee frequents the area and the goodies it dishes out to “rejected individuals”.
“Deep down, they know they don’t have meaningful support in the region. What is giving them courage are the computer-generated MPs whose tenure will unravel with petitions,” said Mr Mudavadi of the eight MPs elected on Jubilee Party tickets.
Mr Mudavadi’s sentiments aside, Jubilee is buoyed by these numbers. According to Mr Lusaka, winning eight parliamentary seats in an area perceived to be an opposition stronghold is no mean achievement for the President’s party.
The Senate Speaker, who has emerged as the face of the Jubilee politicians in western Kenya, vows to woo more politicians on their side and deliver even “more numbers” to the Jubilee candidate in the forthcoming presidential poll.
Additional reporting by Wanjohi Githae
