2007 Elections

BOBASI- Rough ride for Ford-P man as Nyachae’s influence wanes

  • Print
Details
Published on Tuesday, 18 September 2007 05:41
If Ford People leader Simeon Nyachae retires from politics as he promised to do, he will leave behind a platoon of political orphans.

 

Bobasi MP Stephen Manoti will be one of them. In the 2002 General Election, Mr Manoti drifted to Parliament on a tide of Ford People euphoria that engulfed Gusiiland.

But now with Mr Nyachae’s waning influence in Gusii as demonstrated by defeat of the proposed new constitution in the Roads minister’s Nyaribari Chache turf, Mr Manoti is likely to find it difficult to wade through the constituency’s increasingly murky political waters.

Banana campaign

Mr Nyachae was the national leader of the Banana campaign. However, with minister out of the presidential duel, the Gusii political terrain is bound to change considerably to the disadvantage of incumbent MPs from the region.

Secondly, a new ODM wave in the region may reduce Mr Manoti’s political fortunes. Former Finance minister Chris Obure who Mr Manoti defeated in 2002, will seek the party’s nomination to wrestle for the seat.

So far, the race has attracted more than 20 aspirants who include Mr Obure, Nairobi-based quantity surveyor Innocent Obiri Momanyi, retired detective David Onduso Gekara and ODM secretariat director Janet Ong’era.

Although National Cereals and Produce Board managing director Naftali Mogere has not declared his intention openly, reports from the ground indicate that he is in the race. Recently, Agriculture minister Kipruto arap Kirwa promised to probe claims by Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi in Parliament that Mr Mogere was distributing grains in Gusii for campaigns.