Kitavi Mutua
12 January 2008
Nairobi — The appointment of Kalonzo Musyoka as Kenya's 10th Vice-President is likely to open a different war front with former Health minister Charity Ngilu in the battle for political supremacy in Ukambani.
Observers will be keen to watch the direction the power struggle takes.
Already, residents in Ukambani see the elevation as the perfect political positioning for succession of President Kibaki in 2012 and have vowed to support and work with the Government.
Mr Musyoka, the ODM Kenya leader who came third in the just concluded presidential elections, managed to clinch 13 out of 17 parliamentary seats in Ukambani. Mrs Ngilu weathered ODM-K wave in the region to retain her Kitui Central seat on Narc ticket.
Besides setting the unmatched record as the only Kenyan woman politician to have won four consecutive elections, Mrs Ngilu's Narc candidate also won in the neighbouring Kitui West.
Mr Charles Nyamai, a former financial director with the Rift Valley Railways, beat Mrs Nyiva Mwendwa who is a former minister and Mr Musyoka's ally.
Battle lines are already drawn. With the appointment of Mr Musyoka as VP, the political struggle will no doubt assume fresh dimensions in the Tenth Parliament.
With Mrs Ngilu outside the Cabinet, she will have difficulties staking a claim to the region's supremacy contest and will always be disadvantaged working from the Opposition.
Since the death of Mr Mulu Mutisya, who was viewed as the king of the region, the Mrs Ngilu and Mr Musyoka have been fighting to fill the position.
The rivalry between the two leaders is akin to the political feud between the late Paul Ngei and Mr Mutisya, who for years struggled for political leadership in the region.
However, the appointment of the Mwingi North MP this week now puts him as the most senior politician in Ukambani and Eastern Province.
He also becomes the first leader from the community since independence to assume the VP's position.
Leaders across Kitui, Machakos, Mwingi and Mutomo districts reacted with jubilation on his appointment pointing out that he was experienced and equal to the task.
Kitui South MP-elect Isaac Muoki urged Kenyans to welcome President Kibaki's choice of Mr Musyoka as his principal deputy saying it would help cool the heightened political temperatures in the country.
"Mr Musyoka provides a moderate and sober middle ground in the bitter rivalry between President Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga," Mr Muoki told the Saturday Nation in an interview.
The MP explained that ODM-K acknowledged the great political maturity exhibited by the Kamba community by voting in leaders from other parties in the region.
"This had nothing to do with Mr Musyoka's grip in Ukambani rather than the community's sobriety in choosing the best leaders in elections," Mr Muoki said, adding all the 17 MPs were elected purely on merit.
Eighteen newly elected councillors said the appointment of Mr Musyoka was honour to the community pointing out that the elevation of Mwingi North MP would also boost his future presidential ambitions.
"Kalonzo has not betrayed the cause by joining government ranks and his action demonstrates humility and service to the nation," said their spokesman Nzyoni Manguye.
Prominent businessman and long-serving Mwingi civic leader Kitheka Muvinga said Mr Musyoka would effectively take the mantle of Mutisya by virtue of his post.
Mrs Ngilu, as a member of ODM Pentagon, is part of the leadership that maintains the presidential election victory was stolen from Odinga and are fighting to take over the leadership of the country.
Mr Alex Nganga, the Narc executive director and a close ally of Mrs Ngilu said that Mr Musyoka should not have rushed to accept the appointment before a political rapprochement was arrived between ODM and President Kibaki.
"Kalonzo has already taken sides in the mediation efforts and cannot be impartial in the mediation process to resolve the election dispute," said Nganga.
He, however, acknowledged that Mr Musyoka was now better placed in the perceived early positioning in the succession of Kibaki.
Kitui Solidarity Welfare Association secretary Joseph Makuthu accused "outside" forces of setting the two leaders against one another to split the community's bargaining power in national politics.
He said the political enmity between Mrs Ngilu and Mr Musyoka will end and they will unite to uplift the welfare of the region by virtue of their positions.
On the other hand, Kitui-based Akamba Council of Elders believes that Mr Musyoka was appointed on merit and not because of other narrow considerations
"We fully support the appointment of a Vice-President from Eastern Province and believe that he will use his vast experience to ensure a negotiated deal is arrived at," the Elders Council secretary Francis Kithae said.
Mr Kithae said the appointment should not be viewed as a plot to fight other leaders, pointing out that it was the prerogative of the President to appoint a leader he felt was capable of performing the duties.
Peaceful processions in support of Mr Musyoka's appointment have been held in Kitui, Mutomo, Machakos, Makueni and Mwingi as residents welcomed the move.
It is instructive to note that during the campaign period, Mrs Ngilu appealed to the electorate to vote for Mr Musyoka as the president and give her votes for the Parliamentary seat.
Combined with her development record, especially on improving health care in Kitui district, Mrs Ngilu won Kitui Central seat and is the longest serving MP for the constituency having been elected in 1992. Previous MPs in the constituency never served beyond two terms.
It remains to be seen what the political development portend for Ukambani politics and whether the dominance issue is set to be ended or take new heights.
Chances are that the rivalry will thaw and pave way for new approach by Ukambani electorate who are do not vote as a bloc and allow divergent political stands.
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