Kiambu Big Six troop to UDA in own bids for governor slot
The convergence of six high-profile Kiambu governorship competitors under Deputy President William Ruto’s hustler camp, has tinkered with the dynamics of the race where presidential campaigns are expected to play a significant role.
Former governors William Kabogo and Ferdinand Waititu, as well as Senator Kimani Wamatangi, Thika MP Patrick Wainaina, Gatundu South’s Moses Kuria and Speaker Stephen Ndicho are coalescing around Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza camp.
This leaves Governor James Nyoro of Jubilee Party as the main candidate in Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja front.
Others seeking to dislodge Governor Nyoro are Agnes Ndung’u, a social and community development worker, ex-county executive Juliet Kimemia, and Mwende Gatabaki, wife of economist David Ndii. But the three are largely regarded as fringe candidates. The fact that all the aspirants, save for Nyoro, are vying for the seat on their respective parties under Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), could give him a head start.
Kabogo, who is seeking to recapture the seat he lost to Waititu in 2017, is vying on his Tujibebe Party, while Waititu — who was impeached over theft of public money — Wamatangi (Senate Chief Whip who until last Saturday was ambivalent about his support for Uhuru or Ruto), Wainaina and Ndicho will all be seeking the UDA ticket. Kuria will contest using his Chama Cha Kazi party.
Incidentally, Kabogo in 2017 accused Ruto of orchestrating his downfall in favour of Waititu. He and Wamatangi, Wainaina, Kuria and Ndicho are hoping to ride on the DP’s perceived popularity in the region.
On the hand, Nyoro wants his track record to assist him, as well as the recently launched campaign by President Uhuru Kenyatta to revamp his Jubilee party.
Also, a gradual change of tide against Ruto, as well as support of minority communities in Kiambu who are mostly allied to Raila, could boost Nyoro’s campaigns.
There is consensus among observers, and even among candidates in the Ruto camp, that the convergence of six main contenders around the DP could work in favour of Nyoro. Speaker Ndicho says unless the DP’s camp averts sibling rivalry, it could hand victory to Nyoro.
Ndicho says that in an effort to avert this, he has withdrawn his quest for the governorship and opted to run for the Senate seat, which has so far attracted only former county youth executive Karungo Thangwa under UDA.
Unwarranted opportunity
“I urge the other gubernatorial candidates to consider doing the same so that we don’t give our competitors in Azimio the unwarranted opportunity to run away with the Kiambu gubernatorial seat. I have been approached by various people to consider negotiated democracy and step down from the gubernatorial position in favour of the senatorial post,” Ndicho told ‘People Daily’ yesterday.
Further, in Ruto’s camp, other than Wamatangi who hails from Kabete in Kiambu West — which has seven constituencies — the rest of the aspirants are from Kiambu East. Kabogo is from Ruiru, Kuria from Gatundu South, Ndicho from Thika while MP Wainaina, though representing Thika where he has been a businessman, is from Gatundu North.
Concerns are rife that they could split the votes further, since the county is divided into two—Kiambu West and Kiambu East. A geographical ingredient has already played out where Kabogo and Nyoro have been accused of favouring their respective Kiambu East and Kiambu West sides, respectively.
“Out of the nine gubernatorial candidates, six of us come from Kiambu East. We must manage this as leaders (in the pro-Ruto camp),” Ndicho argues.
Since Uhuru comes from Kiambu county, he could influence the voting patterns, especially if he campaigns for the Jubilee candidate. And with Raila in the mix, the tables could turn in Jubilee’s favour. Raila could influence the minorities in Kiambu — Luos, Luhyas, Kambas and Kisii — to vote for Nyoro. This segment accounts for over 100,000 voters.
“The President will definitely have a level of influence in the voting ,which could be in favour of Nyoro, but whether that influence will be enough to make Nyoro governor, I am not sure. In the last two by-elections of the county, Jubilee Party lost,” recalls Prof Macharia Munene.
Nyoro who has been grappling with a hostile ground, equated his main competitors assembling under one presidential candidate to the Biblical reference of King David’s wars with the Moabites and the Ammonites as highlighted in 2 Chronicles 20:22, where God confused troops, leading to war among themselves, saying his main competitors in Kenya Kwanza are now fighting among themselves.
“The Bible says that as soon as they began singing, the LORD confused the enemy camp, so that the Ammonite and Moabite troops attacked and completely destroyed those from Edom. Then they turned against each other and fought until the entire camp was wiped out! That is what is going to happen (in the Kiambu race),” Nyoro said.
Kinoo Ward Rep Samuel Kimani who is one of the pro-Uhuru MCAs in the county argues that the unity of pro-Ruto candidates could work in favour of Nyoro because voters who do not subscribe to UDA politics would find it easier to vote for him.
He also add that Uhuru still has influence that could give his party candidate significant number of votes.
“The Azimio camp has been plotting to zone off areas to ensure parties front aspirants in areas they are popular, and therefore, if they decided to front for an aspirant in the county, who is Nyoro, and as you are aware we have over 100, 000 voters from Luo, Kamba, Kisii and Luhya communities who have been voting for Raila and Kalonzo all through. They might find it easier to vote for Nyoro who supports their all-time presidential candidate,” Kimani says.
According to Munene, the oscillating of the six aspirants under Ruto’s umbrella was based on the thinking that UDA party was popular in the region and that perceived influence will be key to their win if they associate themselves with him.
“After coming together in the Ruto camp, they will reduce their battle into an individual and the party may not matter much like one’s popularity. Some of them are actually contesting in their individual parties. But it cannot be ignored that the pro-Ruto candidates will be splitting his support amongst themselves but Nyoro would also be splitting them because they are targeting the same basket-Kiambu voters,” the professor said.
While ditching Jubilee, Wamatangi said the decision to switch camps was made after intensive consultations between him and the electorate, saying: “Those who care know very well about every step you (DP Ruto) took to ensure Jubilee was the most popular party. Now I am here and wherever you are going I will be here with you and ensure UDA is the most prominent party and that it will be respected as much as Jubilee was respected.”
