Commentaries
Magara Faces Tough Test in Battle for Political Supremacy
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- Published on Tuesday, 22 January 2008 19:05
But as the campaigns got under way in earnest following party nomination of parliamentary and civic candidates, it turned out that things were not so rosy.
Mr Magara is facing three strong candidates - Mr Manson Nyamweya of Ford People, Mr Ibrahim Ochoi of New Ford Kenya and Dr Rashid Minyong'a of the little-known Progressive Party of Kenya.
Also in the race is Mr Magara's sister who has become his fierce political foe, Ms Karen Nyamoita Magara, running on a Kaddu ticket.
Force in region
However, Mr Magara remains a strong candidate in this race. As a close ally of ODM Presidential candidate Raila Odinga and also the party treasurer, he was instrumental in making the party a force in the Gusii region, challenging the dominance of Roads minister Simeon Nyachae's Ford People.
He is one of those who benefited from a direct ODM nomination, but for some reason, he has been facing some unexpected hostility.
His convoy has been stoned more than once in the constituency, which his supporters say is violence perpetrated by Ford People while opponents say it is a reflection of the extent to which locals are disenchanted with his leadership.
One of his strongest challengers, Mr Nyamweya, is an experienced local politician with probably his best chance of making it to Parliament after some past disappointments.
Mr Ochoi, 50, a former Uriri High School principal, and Dr Minyong'a, formerly a senior dentist at Kenyatta National Hospital, are newcomers who are both making impressions on voters.
Dr Minyong'a lost the Ford People nomination to Mr Nyamweya and defected to PPK. Mr Magara's opponents have been campaigning on an unusual platform. They say there is no point re-electing him because ODM will offer him direct nomination to Parliament if he loses.
That way, South Mugirango will make history by having three legislators - the elected MP, Mr Magara as a nominated MP and Mr Reuben Oyondi of the East African Legislative Assembly.
They also question the ODM pointman's development record. After Mr Magara was given direct entry on the ODM ticket, his would-be opponent, Mr Justus Onderi, defected to the Social Democratic Party.
However, Mr Onderi is unlikely to have a great impact. Also in the race is former MP David Kombo, who is ranked an outsider on the ODM Kenya ticket. Mr Magara sailed to parliament easily in a by-election called after the death in a road accident death of his elder brother, Enock Magara.
He recaptured the seat easily in 2002 on the Ford People ticket, and was considered an important ally of Mr Nyachae until he hitched his political fortunes on the Orange campaign. That makes the race for South Mugirango also a proxy battle as Mr Nyachae fights aggressively to counter what he considers ODM encroachment on his political turf.
