Daniel Otieno And Geoffrey Rono
22 June 2008
Nairobi — The deaths of legislators Kipkalya Kones and Lorna Laboso might give rise to the worst nightmare yet for ODM as the party attempts to consolidate its support in Rift Valley Province.
The Orange party faces the twin challenges of retaining the Bomet and Sotik seats during the impending by-election, and maintaining its support among members of the Kipsigis community.
Following the formation of the grand coalition Cabinet early this year, a section of legislators from the South Rift complained, saying the region had been short-changed. They expressed their displeasure with ODM, which they backed during the General Election, complaining they had been given a raw deal in comparison to their North Rift counterparts.
They say that they have long been marginalised despite the perception that the Rift Valley benefited from former President Moi in the Kanu days.
Its toes
MPs from the region have also supported the calls for the formation of a grand opposition to keep the government on its toes, a move that has been interpreted by some as an expression of their bitterness over the allocation of Cabinet seats.
In light of this, ODM will have to be cautious in the way it handles appointing its pointmen among the Kispsigis community and in filling the government positions left vacant by the former Roads minister, Mr Kones, and assistant minister in the Office of the Vice-President, Ms Laboso.
And despite the prevailing gloom following the MPs' deaths in a plane crash two weeks ago, complex political calculations are taking place to fill the voids without creating further division.
The looming by-elections and the filling of the Cabinet slots will prove tough for Prime Minister Raila Odinga who will be seeking to placate the discontented in the region.
It is thought that this is the reason the party supported a Kipsigis in the just-concluded by-elections in Kilgoris when it was rather obvious the constituents would elect a Maasai.
Kalenjin grouping
Mr Kones and Ms Laboso were undoubtedly kingpins in Kipsigis politics and important figures in the country's general political arena.
Mr Kones was an experienced politician, having been in Parliament since 1988, once as a nominated MP. And even so soon after his body was lowered into the grave, there are already rumours that a section of elders will endorse one of his wives to vie for his seat partly as an honour to him.
Some analysts are of the view that the vacuum left by Mr Kones could be filled by Agriculture Minister William Ruto as the uniting leader of the entire Kalenjin grouping, a position the retired president Daniel arap Moi enjoyed during his years in power.
Indeed, during Mr Kones' funeral, Mr Ruto received a standing ovation from the crowd. He was also the one who managed to calm the hostile mourners who were charging to the main tent to protest against Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Martha Karua speaking. Ms Karua has rejected calls for amnesty by most ODM MPs, among them Mr Ruto, saying the law must be allowed to take its course.
Brokered peace
The issue of the post-election violence was close to the hearts of both Mr Kones and Ms Laboso, and that endeared them to the people in Rift Valley many of whom believe that several youth from the region were arrested yet they are innocent.
Ms Laboso, who was referred to as the "Tigress of the South Rift" by her constituents, had the ability to mobilise people at the grassroot level and her never-say-die attitude saw her fight off a crowded field of male contestants seeking the ODM ticket to convince the patriarchal Kipsigis community to vote her in. The impact of her leadership was just beginning to come to the fore when she died.
She brokered peace between communities living in Chepilat township on the border of Sotik and Borabu districts, restoring sanity to a town whose existence had been threatened by an orgy of violence at the beginning of the year.
Yet to be seen is if her legacy as a woman leader has changed the mindset of the people in the region. Politicians such as Charity Ngilu beseeched the electorate to give a chance to another woman.
Replacement
And as the debate on their replacements continues, ODM will be facing an uphill task in selecting new ministers to take up their Cabinet posts. Mr Odinga will have to select ministers from that region to maintain party support.
Among the likely replacements are former powermen in the Moi Government Zakayo Cheruiyot and Franklin Bett, and fellow MPs Charles Keter, Mr Ruto, Magerer Lang'at, Dr Julius Kones and Benjamin Lang'at. That is excluding the two new MPs who will be elected in Sotik and Bomet, unless Mr Odinga waits for the by-election results before taking his pick.
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