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PNU out to clip Raila's clout in Kisii politics

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Published on Wednesday, 23 March 2011 06:23

The Party of National Unity is sustaining its pressure on ODM in Kisii where political heavyweights are out to clip Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s influence over local politics.Local political alliances are undergoing great change as PNU tries to exploit former ODM strongmen in the region who fell out with the premier after the last General Election.

Led by Education Minister Sam Ongeri, the PNU side of the coalition has exploited every forum to remind those who teamed up with Raila to plant the seed of ODM in Kisii that they erred and would live to regret their move.

Prof Ongeri has been citing former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara, who has openly accused the PM of having ditched him at his hour of need, as an example of what will befall those who would not make well calculated moves when joining political parties.Mr Magara is seen as having played a key role in popularising the Orange party in Kisii against the wishes of then powerful Cabinet Minister and Ford People leader Simeon Nyachae.

Bitter lesson

A fundraiser-cum-political rally at Gusii Stadium revealed there was a move to downsize the PM’s dominance in local politics with his former allies admonishing him and the orange party fraternity at the function.Magara told the well attended meeting that he disregarded wise counsel by Mr Nyachae and Ongeri to go slow with the ODM euphoria in 2007, but he has since learnt a bitter lesson in his forced leave from the August House.

"We shall sit down with Nyachae, Ongeri and other like minded leaders to fence our compound. Kisii should not be a hunting ground for people wanting to rise on the political ladder while suppressing others," a visibly bitter Magara told the crowd, which cheered him to reveal more.

But Raila has been defended against claims that his popularity is waning. Kitutu Chache ODM chairman James Ongwae says Raila is still popular in Kisii and those dismissing him were only scared of the support he enjoyed from the community."Look at the calibre of people admonishing the PM; they lack clout and believe money can move mountains," Ongwae said.

He said people who supported the PM’s 2007 bid are still intact and will continue selling the party’s policies until they accomplish their mission of entering State House.His sentiments were echoed by Gusii ODM women leader, Mrs Josephine Ombati, who said ODM had helped unite Omogusii and placed the community in the national political table.

She said a scheme to isolate Raila would crumble because he was a fighter for rights of the oppressed who are the majority.Kitutu Chache MP Richard Onyonka says the premier is a favourite of Kenyans because he has demonstrated that he was not greedy for power. "The PM is not in the league of those trying to portray him negatively," Onyonka said.

He said the Gusii community would unite with the rest of the country to deliver Kenyans from the jaws of dictators come 2012. He said his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was the party to watch.Another Raila key ally in Kisii, Don Bosco Gichana, who donated the popular hummer that the PM used to campaign ahead of the disputed 2007 polls, used the occasion to announce that he had parted ways with the ODM and its leadership.

Mr Gichana, who was chairman of Young Kenyans for Raila lobby group, accused the premier of having surrounded himself with six ODM people who managed the orange party affairs to the exclusion of other major players who made the party what it was today.

"We don’t want to be party to leaders with no development agenda for the youth," Gichana who organised the Shabana fundraiser-cum-rally charged, adding that he had severed links with the premier for being insensitive to the plight of young Kenyans.

Trail of destruction

Ongeri likened ODM to euphoria saying: "It started from nowhere and will end nowhere, but along the way it will leave behind a trail of destruction." Eldoret North MP William Ruto, his Saboti counterpart Eugene Wamalwa, Joseph Kiuna of Molo, Joshua Kutuny of Cherenganyi, Assistant Ministers Wilfred Ombui and Kazungu Kambi, former MPs Julia Ojiambo, Joel Onyancha and Zephania Nyangwara and Nairobi politician Stanley Livondo attended the meeting.

Others were politician Abdulhaman Bafadhil, PDP chairman Steven Nyarangi and Kisii Mayor Samuel Nyangeso. The vigour with which the politicians donated towards Shabana FC with Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta sending Sh1 million through Ongeri, Ruto giving Sh1 million netting a total of Sh4 million within 15 minutes was meant to make a statement, given the fundraiser was organised by a key Raila ally turned critic.

In an earlier interview with Tuesday Politics, Public Works Minister Chris Obure, who together with Ongeri are charged with the responsibility of steering the community’s political interests by virtue of their seniority in politics, held a different view, saying unity of purpose can only work when championing issues affecting Omogusii, but leaders were free to take their political party positions.

Different stands

This fact was evident recently when eight MPs from Kisii County including the two ministers were unanimous on the location of the county headquarters in a meeting that took less than an hour to resolve. It was also replicated when they hosted President Kibaki twice in as many years where they gave an agreed on joint development memoranda to the Head of State devoid of political party affiliations.

But when it comes to political matters, the ten Gusii MPs are known to take different stands. It is imperative to note that only Ombui and Ongeri, both of Kanu, hosted Ruto during the Shabana event. Political observers are in agreement that by ditching his close allies, the premier is presenting ground for PNU to consolidate support in previous ODM strongholds including Kisii much, to his disadvantage ahead of 2012.