News Analysis By Odera Omolo in Kisumu City.
THE on-going by-election to fill the vacant Bomachoge parliamentary seat in Gucha district is going on smoothly and incident-free in a region usually associated with violence election campaign.
The only incident so far is the arrest and prosecution of one candidate for the alleged forgery of voter cards. Prof. Zadock Ogutu of the Nicholas Biwott’s led National Vision Party of Kenya has already appeared before a court in Gucha Town charged with the offense of forgery. He is being defended by a fellow aspirant , Mr. Lugarrd Mogusu, a lawyer practicing in Meru Town.
May be the peace is prevailing in the area owing to the quality and high academic background of most of the aspirants. Seven of a dozen or so candidates are men of high caliber and illustrious academic achievement and upright standing in the society. This appear to make the contest one of the hottest ever seen in the region in the recent past.
In the 2007 general elections, the seat attracted 28 candidates, who represented different political parties. This time around, the number has been cut down by more than half the contestant of the 2007, perhaps due to the economic difficulties and financial constraints. But those whose nomination papers were accepted by the IIEC officials to contest the election are all political heavy weights within the localities on their own rights.
From the ground, it appears as if the popularity of political parties will count very little as clan politics is slowly raising its ugly head. It is commonly called {Obonyumba} in ekegusii local vernacular. This would mean that a candidate who belongs to the largest sub-clan could easily carry the day at the polls. It is a dangerous precedent as it could deny the constituents a capable and effective representation in Parliament.
The Ora nge Democratic Movement {ODM} is arguably one of the strongest parties in Gusii region. It won more than half of the ten parliamentary constituencies in the Kisii region except in Nyaribari Masaba where Prof. Sam K.Ongeri squeezed a victory for KANU, and in the Bomachoge (Joel Onyancha). Even several other MPs who won the elections using the tickets of other parties have since rejoined ODM in parliament. These include Dr Gilbert Monda of Nyaribari Chache, the man who is nicknamed the Giant Killer, because he trounced Simeon N yachae against all the odds. Also Mr. Richard M Onyonka, who dethroned Jimmy Nuru Angwenyi, a well known political surrogate of Nyachae in Kitutu Chache. He is now an assistant Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He defeated Raila Odinga’s preferred candidate, James Ongwae while Dr Monda inflicted heavy defeat on Raila’s political friend The two quickly jumped onto the ticket of other smaller parties and inflicted heavy defeat on the ODM preferred aspirants.
Joel Onyancha is expected to earn sympathy votes due to the fact that he was serving in the coalition government an Assistant Minister. But he has a tall order to clear with the electorate because the PNU is not very popular party in Gusii region..
Simon Ogari of the ODM is the oldest aspirant, but for him to perform well, he will need the back up of the party leaders from the headquarters. The party torch bearer in the Gusii region is Omingo MAGARA, The South Mugirango ODM M P, but his popularity in the region has nose dived. The party, however still has big guns in the store in the names Richard Onyonka, Monda, and Chris Obure, the Minister for Works whose Bobasi constituency is neighboring Bomachoge and who might be having some influence in the area.
However, the on-going political wangling between the ODM party luminaries, pitting Raila Odinga and the party second deputy leader William Ruto, could have adverse effect the ODM performance at the polls.
The United Democratic movement {UDM} is the party of the day. There is a clear evidence that UDM is busy harvesting more members in the region at the expense of other leading political movements. And its candidate is Mr Zephania Nyang’wara who once represented the area on a KANU ticket between 1997 and 2002. Above all Nyang’wara is a very popular candidate. He could cause upset to the ODM.
Another strong candidate is Mr Cyprian Nyamwamu of SAFINA party who is said to be very eloquent and a good campaigner.
Another person worth watching is Mr. Lugard Mogusu, a lawyer practicing in Eastern Province, whose candidature is more appealing to the youths in the area. He is said to be having a good following within the constituency.
Albert Nyaundi is another aspirant who might perform well. But he will need to have his party boss Simeon Nyachae to visit the area and address several campaign rallies. Nyachae is still highly respected in any parts of Kisii region, therefore his appearance in N yaundi’s campaign rally would give the candidate an added value..
The field, however is still wide open for anyone of the ten candidates to improve his position by means of intensive canvassing for votes. Gerdius oigara of Kenda is another serious candidates ands so are the others not mentioned here. In Gusii region, no candidate can be underrated ind counted out before the actual voting takes place.
All the aspirants are not predictable at the moment as all seemed to be doing well on the ground..
Ends
leppderaomolo@yahoo.com
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From: Leo Odera Omolo
Date: Sun, Aug 16, 2009 at 1:47 PM
Subject: IT IS TOUGH GOING FOR CANDIDATES IN THE BOMACHOGE BY ELECTION
Leo,
The political dealings in Bomachoge by-election as you mentioned will be a yard-stick for the politial mighty and the systems associated with democracy in Gusii land and Kenya in general especially with the new election board. While the winner i unpredictable, sympathy aside, all candidates have reason to be merry. Why? They are all building on the strengths of the law courts and the community that has to demostrate how far the coalition government is willing to change the once corrupt machinery. Further, there are raw emotions, the clans within the Gusii house!
I acknowledge and agree that clanism structure is a drawback but unfortunately, the Bomachoge constituency is no different from the voting blocks in the eight provinces in Kenya! Each community or a people are laying claim(s) to certain resources and opportunity to represent the fractured identity
Politicians alike such as Nyachae, Obure, and Ongeri represent the school of thought that Bomachoge should let go. The value of our social capital is hinged upon the influence of these associates whom at one time promised goodies but instead delivered division and misinformation of the true picture of Kenya.
Then, what is needed for the BOMACHOGE by-election to be a true testimony of democracy of the Omogusii’s house? In my view, we need three aspects:
a) information
b) social credentials
c) influence
Information allows the electorate and observers to know the happenings of the surroundings and as such articulate the needs of or community. This is worth the million bucks each candidate will be pouring in their campaigns to either educate or prepare the voter to make choices among the aspirants. Information to the outsiders translates to the identity of our community and the tenets that will be associated with us. Of course, our needs are always reflected in the manifestos of the parties and therefore become the missions of the candidates or their sponsors. This is why we fall prey t the power and connections.
Social credentials is about the worthiness of the candidates and the community that they represent or in the process of gaining their trusts their spokesperson. The true purpose of credentials is authenticity! True public leaders in their activism should exude optimism of human nature to share and bond. But, in the past, prior Bomachoge elders and MPs alike have exploited our meager differences and prolonged our unselfish desires of what the constituency is truly about, integration. Obviously, there is always the deliberate investment and emphasis on wealth, power, and ‘political party’ solidarity at the cost of sanctioning mutual cohesion.
Influence is brought by the need to connect and make an impact, small or big. It is obvious, politicians prefer non-inclusivity. Nyachae and the likes of Uhuru have misused the youth using this virtue for short-lived achievements like thuggery at Omingo’s backyard but it lead to more bleeding on the onslaught of the 2007 elections results announcement in places like Sotik, Kericho and Eldoret. From influence, we seek inspiration and this has been gone but as Leo mentions in his article, the youth are bonding with the mavericks!
Ofisa Nyaikondo
The Kisii politics were influenced by party politics and the most favoured party in the region carried the day. We urge the people to consider the potential of candidates and not party strengths. All the leading parties send their leaders to campaighn for their candidates and it is unfortunate that a party that has had great popularity and following in Kisii politics- FORD People PARTY leader did not give his candidate adequate support.The party leader did not attend any public rally in support of his candidate.This was a big blow in the Kisii politics and we have lost our political heritage and most respected history.
Even if there is Obonyomba,a good candidate should present himself to people and sell what he has(Manifesto),We should stop looking at the kings,sometimes people are tired with those kings and a good candidate might lose his luck coz of a king from a given area.Erigerie chikura chiao tata.