News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.
This could be the case of coincident. But what is emerging from a small Luo-Abasuba community of Southern Nyanza, is that members of this sub-tribe are seeing another politician of the late Tom Mboya’s stature, who is emerging forty years down the line after the latter’s death in 1969.
It is indeed a coincident, because the man refered to as the new Tom Mboya, especially by the Suba people who are residents of the twin islands of Rusinga and Mfangano, was born four years after Mboya’s violent death in the hails of bullets from an assassin gun in a Nairobi street on July 5, 1969.
To the mainlanders, particularly the youth, his political dynamism and magnanimity has taken them by surprise, sending shock waves to the spinal cords of his would be opponents across the vast County.
He is the shrewdest politician to have come to the picture in recent years after the late Mboya, in the greater Southern Nyanza, and a man to watch.
Dr Mark Matunga, though himself of a Suba origin, has no blood relationship to the late charismatic and dynamic politician, but carries a lot of similarity to Mboya’s character and actions.
According to local residents of the twin Islands, the 36 year old computer genius, who is working with the Microsoft Computer International, fits into Mboya’s shoes very well. He is also armed with an extra degree in theology and he is an ordained church minister.
He hails from one of the smallest Wasamo sub-clans in Mfangano Island, one of the areas previously perceived to be one of the remotest and backward parts of the region. But the youthful expert has single-handedly turned the Island into a hub of serious development activities of its infrastructure.
Mboya also hailed from a small sub-clan called Wayubu on Rusinga Island. But he had grudgingly developed the island and left it on a firm footing at the time of his death in 1969 at only 39 years of age.
Dr Matunga has declared his interest in the covenanted seat of Homa-Bay County governor come the year 2012.
But the soft-spoken youthful politician has taken the Homa-Bay County region with the thud and storm, due to his mobilization and organizational ability, coupled with oratory and eloquence in public address, which is unmatched by anyone else in Luo-Nnyanza.
Dr Matunga only returned home five years ago from the United States, where he was educated and had worked for sometime. But within that brief period of time, he had single-handedly initiated and found sources for the funds do the construction of the all weather ring road around Mfangano Island. He made history when he invited the then Road Minister Simeon Nyachae to commission the new road, and for the first time hired a ferry which took aboard it three motor vehicles, the first to have landed on the island. These vehicles are still traversing the Island.
His other action was the sourcing of a powerful generator, which is now supplying power to the schools, individuals homes, dispensaries, trading centers, fish landing beaches, and trading centers on the Island. The power generation capicity is said to be so large as to be in excess of the demand by the islanders. Plans are now a foot to have its power lines connected to the national grid.
Matunga has built a dynamic political network, in that he has mobilized hundreds of youths who are drumming up his support in far places like Kendu-Bay, Nyangweso, Oyugis, Rangwe, Rodi Kopany, Ndhiwa, Rangwe, Mbita and Orian. These youths say they are seeing in Dr Matunga a chance for a better future. They have formed choruses and songs of praise to “Bwana Computer” and the “Governor” everywhere he goes. Opinion says that Dr Matunga’s stronghold is Oyugis Town in Rachuonyo South district.
The newly created Homa-Bay County stretches from Kabondo down to Mfangano and Gwassi, covering six parliamentary constituencies, of Mbita, Ndhiwa, Rangwe, Kasipul-Kabondo,Gwasi and Karachuonyo. It is likely that the region could harvest two more parliamentary constituencies under the controversial boundaries adjustment by the defunct Andrew Ligale Interim Independent Boundaries Commission. The expected seat could represent Kasipul-Kabndo and Homa-Bay Town, as well as another for Awendo, which was hived from the existing Rongo.
Other contestants for the same governor’s seat include the immediate former Rangwe MP Eng. Phillip Okoth Okundi, the incumbent Rangwe MP George Otieno Ogindo, and Opiata Ogada. The name of a former Kenyan diplomat, who had served as an Ambassador to India and Namibia, Lazarus Ombaye Amayo, is also being floated from the other quarters. But Amayo has yet to confirm his commitment to the contest. Also a senior KRA officer Mr Isaiya Ogwe, who is also an hotelier, is also being mentioned.
The recent announcement by Dr, Matunga, that he has secured investment to resuscitate the Cotton Industry by building new cotton ginneries at the cost of Kshs 300 million, has boosted his chances over his rivals. His aggressive plan, to have the menace of water hyacinth mechanically removed from the shorelines of Lake Victoria, is another source of political mileage over his opponents.
In Suba region, Matrunga is commonly called ”Bwana Maendeleo”. He has lent a hand of support to desperate students from poor families and his generosity also extended to the less fortunate members of the society.
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
Matunga could not even win ODM nominations in 2007, what makes him think that he can be a governor? Let him continue with his formal employment and leave politics to politicians. We know Leo is doing PR for him, shame on you Leo.
Development is all that we need in our Homa Bay county. I have personally not seen Dr. Matunga, but the fact that he comes from a small sub clan on Rusinga Island where he is said to have single handedly initiated tangible development projects his people are happy with automatically qualifies him to take my vote. It is better we vote for a development oriented person from a small sub clan than be coerced to vote for someone who only counts on the numerical population of his sub clan, but does nothing helpful to show for his people. I wish daktari well in his endeavours.
pray tell, I can bet with $1,000 (yes a thou dollars) that Leo osegony! Keep it cool Leo and line up for more people to ‘untie’ you, just like Matunga has done.
ps. drop me an email should you want me to untie you too
Politics… politics …. politics………….!
Magi emadwoko joluo chien kabisa. Bwana Ojwando, 2007 was 2007 and let 2012 be itself, not that I support Matunga or the other candidates for the Governor seat.
If Matunga can amass the votes, so be it! If he can develop Homabay at large and Suba in particular without even winning primaries, so be it.
Lets think maendeleo and not that osegony Leo Omolo. Kwani kare en ngaa mane otweye ma nyaka omany mana jogonyo?
I can purely say that Bwana Jim Sibuor bende kare osegony!
Arreddo Nyang nyare ng’ongo!
Nyang, I leave it to you to continue reading Leo’s political commentaries (not news) and give me your feedback. Maybe you are with him now because he wrote favorably about your future preferred candidate. But watch this space
We need to support young proffessionals like MarK Matunga because they have the energy, will, networks and resources. Have a quick check at the other candidates and compare the years they have been in public service and the contributions they have made to man kind. Non compares to Matunga’s record. Others behave like kings with bodyguards who cannot allow people near them yet they still need their votes but Matunga is one man you can meet and introduce yourself in the streets. That is how i met him in the streets of Kisumu. Let us give him a chance. For me Nyathimba i am un gonyorable proffessional. the idea of gonyo is cheap talk.
Let that guy do what he is doing, We need more of that, I care less what he wants to be.
I’m grateful too about Daktari’s developments in Luo Nyanza. keep it up Daktari!!!!!
kudos mark,i lyk the fact that he is young ,intelligent and has already done something big.let young pple watch mark.am not from h/bay but ma girlfriend who ails from there shall vote him.
A few corrections please. The area MP is Martin Otieno Ogindo and not George as you’ve quoted. And also Isaiah Ogwe doesn’t work with KRA he works at the Ministry of Planning and National Development. Get your facts correct!
Dr Matunga, when did he get the Phd ? is it published
REV,DR MARK MATUNGA BE SURE OF MY VOTE ,TO THOSE TALKING OF 2007 ,BIG SHAME!!!!!!,LETS BE OBJECTIVE, MARK MATUNGA HAS OVER ACHIEVED NOT LIKE YOU WHO IS WAITING TO BE “GONYA”
The fact that one has not won a seat does not qualify you to be a losser. Let us look at the messege and not the messenger. I personally do not know who Mark is but if what is said he has done are true then he is a person worth knowing and supporting. Let us get out of yesteryears arguments and start looking at facts. Todays loosser are tomorrow’s winners. Keep it up Mark and hope I won’t be shamed as your PR as Leo has been.
I have watched and participated in Marks campaigns in Nairobi, he is sober and development oriented politician without doubt this is the man and now is the time.
Mark can do dat, if he can move the mass votes in HB County lets give him a chance and get the developments as he has done in SUBA……
We can NEVER go wrong in Homabay County with Mark Matunga. He has the skills, strength and connections reqired.
We must now consider the period which is just drawing to as close as almost the last stage of our national resurrection.We must shy away from cowards (Ojwando and the likes) for they will give us only cowards for children.Let timid doctrinaires depart from us and carry their servility and their miserable fears to elsewhere.Our wishes are to be the brother of other peoples because we will no longer follow in the trail of men whose hearts are foul.I have witnessed a mere portion of Matunga`s work and let alone governor…I would vote him as president!
My humble opinion:)
Celwyn Kazi
Have just listern to Dr Matungu Hosted at Ramogi fm
this nite and coupled with his developmen track record
in Suba i think he is worth given a chance.I must confes tht
i bearely know him but listerning to him makes me think
that he has just come in handy as blessing for the pple
of Homabay county in this new costitutional dispensation.
Electing Dr Matunga is the best thing that will happen to Homa bay County next year
Hi mheshimiwa am a patriotic kenyan luo of origin and an inhabitant of Kendubay but currently i stay in Kisumu. What has attracted me to this site honorable is the adverse development that you carry out in Rusinga i wish we had some one like you in Kisumu Town East.
Besides that honorable, i am diploma graduate in IT and to your are best placed to help find and start life in this field through the Microsoft foundation in as far as job and entrepreneurship is concerned my plea to you is that please assist me for a place in your company in the above related field of my study. my request is based on unavailability to raise funds for my degree cause the well wisher who pushed me to that level has since retired and am an orphan. looking forward to your considerate reply. thanks in advance
Benjamin Omondi
Box 3240 Kisumu
Tel. 0700 761 416/0725 066 957