Aspirants for the Kitutu Masaba parliamentary seat have started aligning with major political parties in preparation for the November 28 by-election.

Besides choice of parties, clan politics, rivalry between Rigoma and the larger Manga divisions and the push for younger leaders will determine the outcome of the elections.

The constituency has previously been represented in Parliament by firebrand opposition politicians, the late George Anyona and Abuya Abuya.

This is also the constituency that recorded the highest number of parliamentary aspirants in the last General Election at 32. So far, at least 23 politicians have expressed interest in the seat.

The seat fell vacant when the High Court in Kisii ruled on August 12 that there were electoral malpractices in the election of Walter Nyambati in the 2007 elections.

The electoral commission has announced it will receive nomination papers from candidates on November 2 and 3.

Retains seat

PNU is working hard to ensure that Mr Nyambati retains his seat.

Mr Nyambati of the Labour Party of Kenya, which is an affiliate of PNU, was one of the MPs who worked hard in Parliament to reduce the dominance of ODM.

He also served as the vice chair of the powerful Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) and used his position to defend MPs against paying tax.

ODM wants him out of the seat while PNU has “reserved” it for him.

In a countermove, a proposed motion by Mr John Mbadi (Gwassi, ODM) seeks to dissolve PSC citing incompetence and nepotism.

ODM, which has not clinched a seat in recent by-elections, has said it wants to use the Kitutu Masaba contest to put its house in order. The party has indicated that it will conduct a primary to pick its candidate.

“I promise a free and fair nomination process,” ODM’s party leader Prime Minister Raila Odinga promised voters during a recent tour of the constituency.

Mr Odinga’s statement did not go down well with Kitutu Masaba ODM branch chairman Timothy Bosire, who expected to secure a direct nomination.

He will have to face former permanent secretary Zachary Ogongo, Dr Achoki Maosa, Makori Sironka and Fred Machana in seeking the ODM ticket.

Mr Ogongo is also associated with Charity Ngilu’s Narc party, which he might use as fall back.

Former law partners now turned political enemies Shadrack Mose and Nyambega Mose have said they will vie on Kenya National Congress (KNC) and Narc Kenya tickets respectively. Nyambega was behind the first election petition against Mr Nyambati, which was later withdrawn.

Former MP Mwancha Okioma, who will vie on a Ford People ticket, is asking voters to give him another term. He was the area MP between 2002 and 2007 and was among the Kisii Ford People MPs who lost their seats alongside then party chairman Simeon Nyachae.

Mr Nyameino Atuti and Mr Philip Nyauncho will be battling for the Kaddu ticket.

The other issue that is expected to influence the result of the by-election is regional considerations.

River Kuja largely divides Kitutu Masaba into Rigoma and the larger Manga divisions. Although Rigoma division has the highest number of voters, it has only produced one MP since independence.

Mr Nyambati, Mr Okioma, Mr Bosire and Mr Nyambega Mose hail from the Manga side while Mr Shadrack Mose and Mr Makori Sironka come from Rigoma.

Youthful candidate

Youthful Nairobi gospel musician Alex Nyanchoga Apoko, popularly known as Ringtone, has declared that he will vie on a Vijana Progressive Party (Vipa) ticket. The other youthful candidate is Motari Okibo, vying on Nicholas Biwott’s National Vision Party (NVP) ticket.

Both Ringtone and Okibo have been going round the constituency asking voters to pick a youthful candidate with fresh ideas for the constituency that has no single metre of tarmacked road.

Eldoret North MP William Ruto intends to spend the weekend in Kisii where former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara will host him.

Mr Ruto is also expected to meet several aspirants for the Kitutu Masaba by-election as he seeks to popularise the United Democratic Movement Party (UDM), on whose ticket he intends to vie for the presidency.

So far, no aspirants have voiced a wish to vie on the party’s ticket.