2002 Elections
Race Hots Up For Mugirango Seat
- Details
- Published on Monday, 23 July 2007 00:24
The first is that a brother to the late legislator Enock Magara, James Omingo (Ford Kenya) is a frontrunner in the race and, should he succeed, it would be a history of sorts for he would be the first MP to inherit a seat held by a departed brother.
While in other areas sons to deceased MPs have capitalised on their father's popularity to win the subsequent by-elections, in Kisii political inheritance - whether by son or brother - has never occurred.
The son-father political inheritors include Ministers Musalia Mudavadi, Katana Ngala, George Khaniri and Bondo MP Oburu Oginga. In Kisii, a bid by a son of the departed long-serving Cabinet Minister, Dr Zachary Onyonka, to replace him in Kitutu Chache constituency flopped. Richard Momaima Onyonka was trounced in a by-election by Jimmy Nuru Angwenyi (Kanu).
It will, therefore, be interesting in South Mugirango to see how the elder Magara fares as he seeks to replace his late brother and Ford Kenya MP Magara, who perished in early October in a road accident.
Magara will battle it out with nine aspirants, among them two former area MPs and assistant ministers David Ondimu Kombo and Reuben Onserio Oyondi (Kanu and SDP respectively).
Secondly, the outcome of the race will lean heavily on the suspended Kanu MP for Nyaribari Chache, Mr. Simon Nyachae. His choice of candidate could carry the day. The rebel former Finance Minister's pledge to campaign for an Opposition candidate in a bid to floor Kanu's choice may be a major test for he is yet to declare who among the nine opposition contestants he will support.
The entry into the race by Mr. Oyondi has complicated matters for Nyachae. Oyondo is one of his ardent supporters and he at one stage - while an Assistant Minister - punched then cabinet Minister Onyonka for being critical of Nyachae.
It will be difficult for Nyachae to pick between Oyondi and Magara for they hail from the same locality and their respective Botabori and Bosinange clans have all along been political allies. The two are expected to put up strong fights, Magara relying on sympathy votes to complete his brother's tenure and Oyondi falling back on his experience and development record to woo voters.
Close political allies of Mr. Nyachae confided that plans were under way to prevail upon other opposition candidates to step down in favour of Mr. Magara in view of the fact that his brother had good working relationship with Mr. Nyachae, who commands much respect among the aspirants. The same is also viewed from the fact that other big opposition parties like DP have rooted for a Ford Kenya candidate by opting out of the race.
The other seven Opposition candidates cleared include Mrs Rose Nyanchoka Okemwa (KSC), Gilbert Ombasa (Ford Asili), Samson Mauti Sawe (National Labour Party), Charles Orenge (Kenya National Congress), Hezekiah Abuya (Reform Party of Kenya), Joel Makanga (Ford Kenya) and Zedekiah Orioki Migiro (Labour Party).
Thirdly, all the candidates will bank on the strength of their clans whose feelings they are already whipping to emerge victorious. But chances are high that three quarters of the entrants will act as spoilers, some with hopes of being "persuaded" to step down for the financially able camps.
Since the creation of the constituency, personalities from the larger Bogetenga, Botabori and Businange clans have produced several MPs - Kombo, Oyondi, Magara, and others. Small clans like Abaige, Abamuara and Abasanga, which are yet to attain such a feat, are likely to gang up under the banner of Ababuangi cluster to try to produce an MP this time round.
Kanu's Kombo in the Getenga clan will share the spoils with arch-rival Councillor Joel Makang'a. The Getenga Ward Kanu councillor defected to Ford People a week ago after his candidature on a Kanu ticket was thwarted by party headquarters, which declared Kombo its sole nominee. His defection in a huff has caused bitter divisions among Kanu supporters and jolted the party's chances in Makang'a's strongholds.
Arch-rivals in the Botabori clan, Oyondi and Mrs Okemwa, now meet again after the 1997 Kanu nominations which they lost to Kombo in a controversial exercise.
The larger Bosinange clan has Magara, Ford Asili's Ombasa and Samson Mauti of Labour Party, while minority clans Omomware and Nyamondo clans will most likely rally behind Abuya and Orenge respectively.
But the clan voting pattern that normally carry the political weight will focus on the Botabori and Businange clans, which saw Oyondi - upon losing to Kombo in 1997 - prevailing upon his clan to support the then little known Magara to sail through on a Ford Kenya ticket. Should Nyachae reconcile the two (Oyondi and Magara), there could be a repeat performance.
As the campaigns hot up, residents have a myriad of issues that require attention. They include poor infrastructure, dilapidated educational and health institutions, a crumbling sugar industry and neglect of cane farmers by the Sony Sugar Company. Other issues include, seeking a long-lasting solution to sporadic tribal clashes along the Gucha-Migori border, and establishment of a soap-stone factory.
The constituency is endowed with fertile soils and is a leading producer of food crops, which it supplies to neighbouring regions. Come the rains, however, and the area is inaccessible, forcing constituents to travel through Migori and Kisii districts - covering about 200 kilometres instead of 30 kilometres to the district headquarters in Ogembo town through Tabaka or Etago routes - to access markets.
The residents are keenly watching the unfolding events as campaign parties invade their localities to entice them with real and imagined development promises. They credit the late Magara with a commitment to their rights as he tried also to dissolve the deeply rooted clannism.
Already, road gravelling tractors are on the ground rehabilitating them in preparation for Kanu campaigns to be led by President Moi from January 8. Before then, a galaxy of ministers led by Obure and Prof Sam Ongeri (who was stoned during Magara's burial) are set to conduct meetings to campaign for Kombo. The campaigns will reach fever peak when Nyachae joins the caravan.
There are ten aspirants, among them Magara's brother and two former local MPs
Should Moi campaign for the Kanu candidate, it will be a duel between him and Nyachae
