www.Kisii.Com: Syndicated news from only reputable sources [Nation, and Standard Newspapers, Kenya Times, KBC, etc.]

Nyachae and elusive political alliances

Details

Published on Saturday, 07 July 2007 07:05

It had to happen sooner or later. Once he defiantly challenged President Moi to sack him over his outspoken support for kinsman Simeon Nyachae, it was clear his wish would soon be granted, the only question being when.

State House may deem the sacking imperative in instilling discipline within government ranks, but if anything, it will only intensify the resentment felt by many Abagusii towards the Kanu leadership since Mr. Nyachae's acrimonious departure from the government. For Mr. Angwenyi, it matters not a whit; his defiance had already earned him wild cheers in Kisiiland.

But Mr. Angwenyi is a small headache for the Establishment. The real problem in Kisiiland remains Mr. Nyachae and the poisonous mood his resignation has created there.Two months after he resigned and barely a fortnight after Parliament went into its second session, Mr. Nyachae is coming out exactly as was anticipated. In his maiden speech as a backbencher last week, he fiercely lambasted the government over rampant mismanagement and graft.

Back in Kisiiland, Mr. Nyachae and his supporters have been on a veritable war footing, holding numerous rallies during which the Kanu leadership was excoriated. In one such rally where his zealots were in full charge, it was announced he had been anointed "King of the Abagusii." The expectation tied to this new throne is to spearhead "Abagusii national aspirations." In plain language, everybody there is looking forward to seeing him become the Abagusii presidential candidate in 2002.

Kanu, naturally, is watching all this closely. Attention is particularly being paid to Mr. Nyachae's declaration that he will seek to work with Opposition and other forces "to keep the government on its toes."Precisely what sort of alliances to build will be the vexing question as Mr. Nyachae seeks to pursue a career as a Kanu outsider. Playing the government critic will be the easy bit; moving from there to building a national coalition that can propel him to power in 2002 is a different ball-game altogether.

A recently mooted idea by his supporters was to strike a deal with the Kamba, with the latter, hopefully, providing a running mate for Mr. Nyachae's presidential bid.It was not specified whether this overture was directed at Kanu or Opposition figures in Ukambani.Nonetheless, SDP's Charity Ngilu spoke warmly of such an alliance, but it was distinctly clear she did not envisage herself playing running mate to anybody. Other Kamba figures were pointedly cool to the idea. Cabinet Ministers led by Mr. Gideon Ndambuki shot down the idea in no uncertain terms.

The much more interesting thing was not the alliances Mr. Nyachae may be publicly seeking, but the ones his supporters appear to have given up on. There is clearly not much expectation that Mr. Nyachae would make headway with the NDP whose supporters have never been keen on the former Minister. Besides, NDP's Raila Odinga has ambitions of his own and Mr. Nyachae does not feature in his plans.

DP does not look a viable alliance partner either. Teaming up with DP would inevitably mean Mr. Nyachae playing second fiddle, something which his supporters do not want.It was widely noted, though, how, in his first public harambee engagement in Gucha following his resignation, Mr. Nyachae invited Mr. Mwai Kibaki as a guest. Mr. Kibaki did not attend, though he sent a contribution.

As it would seem, Mr. Nyachae's frontmen are seeking ethnic as opposed to strictly party coalitions. Therefore, any overtures to Western Province will be closely watched.There was a time when Mr. Nyachae was linked with such Luhya figures as Agriculture Minister Musalia Mudavadi, but any notion of an alliance has since withered as the feeling in Luhyaland now strongly favours a Luhya being fronted as a candidate in 2002.Even Luhya Opposition elements whom Mr. Nyachae could conceivably team up with are united with their brethren in Kanu about a Luhya candidate.

There is a view that Mr. Nyachae may have shown his hand too soon and that way frightened certain restless colleagues in Kanu who are inclined to seeing things his way. They have been particularly unsettled by the former Minister's promise to work with the Opposition, seeing in that promise the end of the road for him in Moi's Kanu.

Mr. Nyachae has so far not indicated whether he intends to join the Opposition, and it is highly improbable he has such immediate plans. But certain colleagues in Kanu like former Cabinet Minister Dalmas Otieno who is certainly not among Mr. Nyachae's enemies fear that if he does, he could be falling into a trap being prepared for him.
 

Mr. Nyachae's supporters have not taken kindly to the uproar in Kanu over the talk of his building alliances with Opposition groups, or with anybody else. What is wrong with that when Kanu is doing the same, they ask?They point at the NDP-Kanu cooperation, and a similar dalliance with sections of Ford Kenya. In the recent past, they add, Moi has also made overtures to Mr. Kibaki for similar cooperation.

The logic may make sense, but it is not in the nature of the ruling party's leadership to allow opponents the leeway it gives itself. Hence, Kanu will go out of its way to isolate Mr. Nyachae and ensure he is boxed-in in Kisiiland. Without serious allies, he cannot go far.

There is the other battlefront Mr. Nyachae's backers are keen to open: the fight for the control of the party. They support the idea of holding Kanu elections so as to get the opportunity to test their strength against their opponents at the national level.

Right now, it is difficult to tell the grassroots strength of either side nationally, though President Moi's preference has, since the re appointment of Vice-President George Saitoti, more or less been made clear.Elections have a habit of going against the script. It is like in the game of pool, where the initial shot scatters the balls in such a manner that an adroit player cannot miss something to exploit.

But on the other hand, immediate Kanu elections may probably not be to the former Minister's advantage. In days past, his interest in the polls was to square off with Prof. Saitoti, or if that was not propitious, a stab at Mr. Joseph Kamotho's post of Secretary-General, all with an eye to shoring up his power-base and strengthening his negotiating hand as Moi weighed the matter of successor.

As of now, the picture has been sharply altered. Mr. Nyachae has no illusions any longer about what the top leadership in Kanu think of him. If he ran for a national party post, it would be as an outsider.Some of his more enthusiastic supporters are even intimating that he should go for the party chairmanship when the opportunity occurs, but Mr. Nyachae is not so daft to imagine he can take on Moi head-on right now. Better to wait for 2002 and see how events play themselves out.

Within Kisiiland, though, Mr. Nyachae is fully calling the shots. Even those Kisii legislators who would have been inclined to keep a certain distance from the fray have been forced to swim with the current. Many are openly cheering Mr. Nyachae on.

Of the 10 legislators from Kisiiland, the majority have lined up behind their man. Of those MPs in Kanu, most are with him, the obvious exceptions being long-time Nyachae foe Sam Ongeri, the Minister for Local Authorities, and Mr. Chris Obure, who eagerly took up the portfolio of Industry which Mr. Nyachae had snubbed.

Recently Mr. Obure, while complaining that some local people were bad-mouthing him over his support for the government, threatened to wage an "all-out war" against the former Minister. It was amusement rather than anger he provoked among Mr. Nyachae's supporters.

Also in the doghouse in Kisiiland are Kanu activist-cum-Kenya Football Federation secretary Sam Nyamweya as well former Nakuru Kanu branch chairman Geoffrey Asanyo, both ardent opponents of Mr. Nyachae's. They are being accused of taking a group of anti-Nyachae councillors to State House for "hand-outs."

During a recent funeral of Mr. Nyachae's sister, Kanu Bomachoge MP Zephania Nyang'wara dramatically unwrapped a piece of paper from his pocket and read out names to the mourners of Kisii politicians whom, he alleged, had gone to State House for finances to fight Mr. Nyachae.

Two of the three Opposition MPs from Kisiiland - Mr. Henry Obwocha (West Mugirango) and Mr. Enock Magara (South Mugirango) have also loudly come out in support of Mr. Nyachae. As for the third, Mr. George Anyona (Kitutu Masaba), he has sought to make it appear as though he is aloof, though for a long time he has been known to be very close to Mr. Nyachae.

All over Kisii, the view that has gained currency is that the fight against Mr. Nyachae is by extension a siege against the entire Kisii community. There is very little Prof. Ongeri and Mr. Obure can do in this angry atmosphere.