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Why Nyachae lost in Kisiiland
- Details
- Published on Sunday, 03 June 2007 00:34
The assumption in Kisii is that former Energy minister Simeon Nyachae’s poor showing during the referendum and dwindling influence Simeon Nyachae casts his vote in Nyaribari-Chache. A long serving leader of the Gusii, Nyachae had not read the signs that he supported what his people were against.
was the culmination of a sustained campaign.
Simeon Nyachae casts his vote in Nyaribari-Chache. A long serving leader of the Gusii, Nyachae had not read the signs that he supported what his people were against.
The campaign started soon after the Ford People nominations prior to the last General Election that the losers felt were irregular.
The humiliating defeat handed Nyachae in Gusiiland therefore can be attributed to a combined force of politicians who lost the party nominations and went on to lose the General Election.
The losers later joined hands and formed an alternative force, and seized the referendum to hit back.
To these politicians, Nyachae and whatever he stood for was a unifying factor, which finally paid dividends when the Nyaribari Chache MP and his Banana campaigners were thrashed.
Given that politics is tribally inclined, established politicians and budding one trooped to Nyachae’s Ford People hoping to make it to Parliament by identifying with their own.
They insist that Nyachae used his influence to impose on the electorate unpopular politicians they had beaten at the party nomination.
Those who lost in the disputed nominations harboured political grudge against Nyachae, whom they accuse of rigging them out in favour of sitting MPs.
Some of the MPs are accused of having used the Constituency Development Funds to reward their supporters, relatives, and concentrate projects in their strongholds.
From the formation of constituency-based development organs of the CDF, the MPs were criticised by their opponents, who seem to have persuaded the constituents that the MPs are biased.
So when the country prepared for the referendum, the MPs’ opponents seized the opportunity to get their own back by joining the camp opposed to what the Nyaribari Chache MP stood for.
Nyachae started feeling the heat when 147 councillors trooped to the Raila Odinga led Orange camp to protest at matharau by the MPs.
Nyachae responded by summoning the civic leaders to his Nyosia home, where they gave in grudgingly.
Nyachae, by virtue of his role as the PSC chairman, was the Banana team campaign leader.
With his added responsibility at the banana headquarters, the workaholic Nyachae hustled between Nairobi, other parts of the country, flying in his private helicopter, as he sought for voters for Banana. He forgot that he had a major battle in Kisii.
The MPs on realising that the heat against the ‘Yes’ for the draft was mounting skipped their constituencies giving their opponents an open field.
The Nyachae troops hit the campaign trail almost a month after the Orange team had traversed the densely populated Kisii highlands.
The Nyachae opponents who ganged up included former MPs who lost to the sitting MPs during the Nyachae for presidency wave, among them former cabinet ministers Sam Ongeri Chris Obure, Assistant ministers Joseph Kiangoi Zephania Anyieni and several former MPs.
The team’s spirit to fight on was bolstered with the decision by the youthful South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara to join Obure and Company to teach Nyachae a political lesson.
As Nyachae goes back to the drawing board, analysts say the abrasive and monied politician is not done yet.
"Never rule Nyachae out as yet.
He still commands respect among the community.
He is still the most influential single Kisii leader who can change political alignments within a short time," argues a member of the Orange team.
After successfully rooting for the Orange team in Kisii, the Magara group now faces a test of time on their newfound unity.
Almost in each of the 10 Omugusii constituencies, there are more than four potential parliamentary candidates who are trying to win the hearts of masses to make it to Parliament.
While their common enemy has been the incumbent MP, time is up for each to fight on his own.
Results indicated that out of the areas 10 constituencies Orange won in eight, including sweeping the whole of Kisii District, the home turf of Ford People leader.
Banana carried the day in first time MPs Joel Onyancha’s Bomachoge in Gucha and Mwancha Okioma’s Kitutu Masaba in Nyamira districts.
Onyancha who delivered 13,349 to Banana against Orange’s 9,171, says there is no link between the loss of the Banana team and Mr Nyachae’s political future.
"This was not a contest on Mr Nyachae’s popularity or between the MPs and the electorate but a crucial undertaking by individual Kenyans on the future of their country," he told ‘The Sunday Standard’ by telephone.
Nyachae’s critics accuse him of having no time to meet his people anywhere else except his rural home where many do not gain access, giving his opponents the opportunity to meet the people where they are," he said.
Okiomam who delivered 13,949 votes to Banana against Orange’s 12,936 echoed Onyancha’s sentiments. He maintains that the referendum was not a popularity contest between MPs and their opponents.
"This was a clear indication that it was people who lost in the year 2002 elections fighting the sitting mps under the guise of a crusade for a good constitution.
But the wishes of the people should be respected," he added. To many in the Orange camp, the results meant that the Nyachae hegemony is over and the community had joined hands with other Kenyans in rejecting the Wako draft. In Nyaribari-Masaba, LDP chairman George Anunda co-ordinated a strong team to deliver 10,717 against Banana’s 7,992, has to face former cabinet minister Sam Ongeri, and others.
But all have to face MP Dr Hezron Manduku, the MP during the elections.
In West Mugirango, parliamentary losers Joseph Rioba, Ombachi Mogeni, and new comers, led by Nairobi lawyer Dennis Abincha, who was the Orange team leader, where Orange garnered 12,479 against Banana’s 10,992, and Magadi Soda employee Fred Makamara have to square it out on their parties’ of choice.
The strong team joined hands to frustrate sitting MP Henry Obwocha but the team must now take their own routes to Parliament. Abincha told ‘The Sunday Standard’ that the unity exhibited on the referendum has to be sustained if the current crop of MPs were to be beaten at elections.
"This is a clear indication that people have rejected an unpopular constitution propelled by unpopular people who are in their sunset days in politics," he said.
Nairobi businessman Patrick Osero who teamed up with former Assistant minister Joseph Kiangoi in North Mugirango/Borabu to deliver 17,167 to Orange against Banana’s 13,418, will face off to unseat Okeri Masanya, their MP.
"This was a contest against MPs and Mr Nyachae and the younger generation of politicians have come out victorious. The old guard should prepare to pack up their luggage and go home," says Osero.
In Bonchari constituency, area LDP chairman Joram Kengocha led the Orange triumph with 11,540, while the Banana team led by area MP Zebedeo Opore garnered 3,638.
In Bobasi, Former Cabinet minister Chris Obure, Nairobi Lawyer Caleb Onguti and Dr Ben Oonge praised the Orange victory.
Many are keenly watching their political steps on whether they will rally behind one of them to take on soft-spoken Stephen Manoti. The team collectively delivered 16,683 against Banana’s 9,207.
But it is in Omingo Magara’s South Mugirango where the Ford People renegade MP who single-handedly delivered the popular vote to the Orange camp.
Despite Mr Nyachae holding three rallies in the constituency, Orange carried the day with 11,181 while Banana trailed with 7,370. But a battle is expected with Nyachae’s point men who include former area MPs David Kombo and Ford People vice-chairman Reuben Oyondi and a new comer and a former Magara confidant Daniel Ombasa Apepo.
Either way Kisii politics has changed a great deal with the Magara led youthful politicians determined to bring a new brand of leadership to the community.
Nyachae may have by now started taking his own stock on where he erred.
