Presidential contest jokers or victims of entrenched system?
As the race to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta enters the home stretch, a number of presidential hopefuls will remain just that — hopefuls.
For many of them, their presidential ambition story, at least for now, remains akin to that of allegorical Simon Makonde who had a very short life lasting one week.
Initially, more than 50 aspirants had submitted their names for clearance by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to run for the highest office in the land.
But after a rigorous short-listing by the electoral agency, only four of them made it to the ballot.
They are Deputy President William Ruto (UDA)m former Prime Minister Raila Odinga (Azimio), law professor George Wajackoyah (Roots Party) and David Mwaure Waihiga (Agano Party).
In the list of those whose presidential ambitions were cut short are colourful politicians including outgoing Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria (Usawa Kwa Wote Party), businessman Jimi Wanjigi (Safina) and comedian Walter Mong’are (Nyambane) of Umoja Summit Party.
Others are Ekuru Aukot (Thirdway Alliance), Nixon Kukubo, Nazlin Omar, Njeru Kathangu (Ford Asili) and Jeremiah Nyagah (Independent).
Signatures dispute
Also on the list are David Muthiora Kariara (Independent), Dorothy Kemunto (Independent), June Juliet Munyeki (Independent), James Kamau (Independent), Peter Mumbiko King’ori (Independent), George Munyottah (Independent) and Justus Juma (Justice and Freedom Party).
There were dramatic scenes after Wa Iria was struck off the list of presidential contenders when he stormed the Bomas of Kenya – venue for the clearance – and IEBC headquarters.
IEBC explained that Wa Iria was disqualified for failing to present the requisite list of certified signatures, a claim he disputed arguing that he had fulfilled all the requirements and accused IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati of sabotage.
“I handed over to IEBC officials all the nomination papers required and when I was told the papers were missing, I wondered whether it was my duty to guard them. If some of the staff used the documents to go to the toilet, am I to blame?” Wa Iria fumed.
Mong’are, who had initially been cleared to contest, had his nomination revoked when it emerged that he did not have the necessary academic papers.
“Upon discovery of new information on Mong’are’s lack of academic papers, I invited him to meet me and verify his qualifications but he did not turn up. This is why I revoked his nomination,” said Chebukati.
Except for Wa Iria, Kathangu, Wanjigi, Aukot, Omar (who has vied for the presidency previously), Kigame and Mong’are, many of the presidential aspirants were hardly known prior to their submitting their names for nomination. The include Kariara, Kemunto, Nyagah, Kamau, King’ori, Munyottah, Juma and Munyeki.
Kathangu dismisses the failure of so many presidential hopefuls to make it to the ballot as a “conspiracy by a system that has made governance of the country a preserve of a few.”
“The truth is that Kenya is ruled through a conspiracy and political gimmicks that ensure that the system does not approve of certain people to be at the centre. This is the reason why Kathangu and the likes are kicked out because we do not belong,” he told People Daily in a phone interview.
Rank outsider
Kathangu said political players like Uhuru, Ruto, Raila, Gideon Moi, Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetang’ula and a few others work together and are part of the system.
“Even Chebukati is no exception in this political chess game where those perceived to be outsiders are not allowed in,” said the politician.
Although a rank outsider, Wajackoyah – besides squeezing through IEBC’s narrow nomination door – has taken the race by storm and come up with controversial campaign pledges including legalising cannabis and hanging corruption convicts.
If recent opinion polls are anything to buy, his sometimes outlandish promises seem to have won him a considerable slice of the voting pie.
