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Nyachae's Stand Questioned As Party Looks Beyond 2007
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- Published on Monday, 16 July 2007 23:25
Among the grim pointers are, first, the rift between the party leader, Simeon Nyachae, and national chairman, Kipkalya Kones, and, the resounding rejection of the Wako Draft in Ford People's strongholds, even granting that Nyachae has boxed himself into a corner.
His party's future now depends on the performance and public rating of President Kibaki's government, of which he is part. Should the Kibaki administration loses in the next General Election, and then Nyachae and his party would most likely be consigned to oblivion.
But minister Henry Obwocha, Nyaribari Masaba MP Hezron Manduku and assistant minister Joel Onyancha say that Ford People would remain united and become part of a formidable coalition.
"Ford People will join a coalition that would win the next elections. Our options are still open and it is still too early for anybody to write off Ford People," says Obwocha.
An official of the party, Daniel Apepo Omabasa of South Mugirango, thinks Ford People might not field a presidential candidate. Instead, it should team up with DP, Ngilu's NPK and Musikari Kombo's Ford Kenya for the elections.
"If such a coalition is formed, then Ford People will still have a say and a share in the next government," says Apepo.
But Nyachae's critics in the party, who include South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara, must be praying that the Orange Democratic Movement remains united.
They are also unsure of what would happen if the ODM disintegrates.To many, both Kones and Magara are in Ford People to serve out their parliamentary terms and then decamp should ODM take root.
But politics being what it is, it would however not be surprising if, at some point, Magara mended fences with Nyachae for political survival. As things are now, the lines have been drawn and it is just a matter of time before Kones and Magara quit the party.
If Kones fails to be nominated again by Ford People in the next Parliament, assuming he fails to capture the seat at the ballot, then the party could lose the little Kalenjin support it enjoys.In which case the party risks remaining mainly a Kisii affair, the same way Ford Kenya is largely a Bukusus party.
Meanwhile, the recent bitter exchanges in the media between Nyachae and Kones bodes ill for the party. The arrogance with which Nyachae's backers dismissed Kones' criticism of his inclusion in the Government did little in furthering the party's interests.
Sources say Magara and Kones have snubbed Nyachae's requests for a meeting to discuss the party's future.
Yesterday, sources close to the party leader told The Sunday Standard that Nyachae has tried to bring Kones and Magara back to the party but the two were reluctant.
"Nyachae wants even more members. There is no way he will be happy that Kones and others are joining other parties. He is ready to meet and listen to the two and others with divergent," said Nyaribari Masaba MP, Hezron Manduku.
He added: "Membership of our party is open. Nyachae cannot keep on pestering members to stick with us. We have to move on."ODM's victory in Gusii land has however given Magara the clout he needs to fight Nyachae to end what his allies call Nyachae's hegemony.
Speculation is rife that Magara is lining up candidates with whom he will face Nyachae's aides come the next elections.
Nyachae has however started reorganising his troops in Kisii. During Christmas, while addressing a party at his Nyosia home, Nyachae said he had no hard feelings against those who let him down during the referendum.
His close associates say he is consulting community leaders to reclaim his influence.
There are a number of obstacles in his way, though, key among them being the recent changes in the Civil Service that some senior officials from Kisii either sacked or retired. While the Government may be justified in making changes in the Civil Service, such moves are not doing Nyachae and his party any good.
The recent sacking of NSSF chief, Naftali Mogere, soon after that of Agriculture Permanent Secretary, James Ongwae, has worsened things for Nyachae.
His party, which many believed was there to protect the interests of the community, is now a hated group. Finding his political footing in Kisii will be a challenge that would daunt the faint-hearted, but then weakness is not a word that is normally associated with Nyachae.
