2007 Elections

KITUTU CHACHE- Anti-Nyachae forces at work

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Published on Tuesday, 18 September 2007 05:53

The battle for Kitutu Chache constituency promises to have echoes of Nyaribari Chache politics where anti-Simeon Nyachae missiles will be targeting the incumbent, Mr Jimmy Angwenyi.

Mr Angwenyi, who is one of the strongest allies of Roads and Public Works minister Nyachae, is being fought by a group of politicians who are opposed to the minister and are determined to end his dominance of Kisii politics.

Mr Angwenyi was teaching at the University of Nairobi when he won the seat in a by-election in 1996 following the death of minister Zachary Onyonka. Mr Zachary Onyonka was Nyaches 'biggest rival that had put a hold on Nyachae to emerge as the leader of the Abagusii people. This rivalry spilt over to his the realtionship between his son Richard Momoima that has otherwise seen Mr. Angwenyi get Nyache's full support to sideline Momoima.

He is abrasive and a go-getter who will defend anything he believes in to the hilt even if it means losing friends. The MP will be waiting with bated breath to know who he will face among front-runners in ODM-K and Narc-K, who include a former permanent secretary, Mr James Ongwae, Mr Richard Onyonka, Nairobi advocate Julius Migosi Ogamba and Mr Justus Mochoge.

Others are businessman Orina Momanyi, an accountant, Mr James Nyamweya, former media practitioner Jeremire Araka, Ford-K official Leo Matundura, Kisii-based philanthropist Magdalene Nyaboke, and educationist Ms Margaret Atogo.

The names of Kenya’s ambassador to Botswana, Mr Charles Mbaka, and former KFF official Sam Nyamweya are also being mentioned. The candidates have been attending ODM-K rallies, each one strategically positioning themselves to win the ticket as they believe that Mr Nyachae might directly nominate candidates in the 10 constituencies. The opponents are likely to take the incumbent to task over poverty in the constituency.

It is a constituency where 65 per cent of the 350,000 population live below the poverty line. Though once prosperous with the farming of pyrethrum, dairy, tea and coffee, the constituency has now dilapidated coffee factories, health facilities and falling education standards.

The CDF kitty has funded the revival of coffee societies with the recent payment of Sh10 million for construction of a tea factory at Sombogo. Farmers will contribute a further Sh150 million over three years. It has only one major health facility at Marani, which is overstretched. Insecurity has also become a major concern in the recent past, considering the rising incidents of suspects being lynched.

Other issues likely to feature during campaigns include alleged skewed allocation of CDF and bursary funds.

Mr Angwenyi’s opponents claim that the CDF committee consists of only his cronies, which he has denied. Even his constituents took the matter to court arguing that the committee’s priorities were skewed, which the court dismissed.

The issue of CDF money has led to ugly scenes, including an attack on the MP, during a rally in his own Ngokoro sub-location where he was injured. The party on which a politician will stand could also determine his or her fate.

The major parties in the area are Ford People, ODM-K and Narc-K. But Mr Angwenyi also has his achievements that he will be lurching on during the campaigns. For instance, he will harp on the fruits of CDF as it is he and initiator Ol Kalou MP Muriuki Karue who are credited with bringing the law to Parliament.

But he will have to fight hard to retain the seat if Mr Ongwae emerges as the ODM-K candidate. A career civil servant, he is contesting the seat for the first time and has made inroads by building a network for his campaigns. Mr. Momoima Onyonka who may run on a KANU ticket is one a big thread to the duo depending on who gets nominated.