Battlelines drawn in Bungoma parliamentary seats races – Weekly Citizen

Political activity is gradually coming back to life in Bungoma county after the Kabuchai by-elections held in March this year where some leaders bitterly clashed with Ford-K leader Moses Wetangula in a popularity contest that saw the party candidate Majimbo Kalasinga emerge victorious.

Majimbo Kalasinga

During the campaigns for the by-election, outside forces had ganged up behind United Democratic Alliance candidate Evans Kakai in a wider scheme to pull the carpet under Wetangula and his then Sacred Alliance partners Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka and Gideon Moi. UDA, a party associated with William Ruto, had hatched a plot to use the by-election to discredit the emerging Luhya unity and humiliate Wetangula and Musalia thereby killing two birds with one stone. During the by-election that had been occasioned by the death of area MP James Lusweti, Kalasinga got 19,274 votes while Kakai came a distant second with 6,455 votes.

Evans Kakai

Following the dismal performance of the UDA candidate, area MPs who were in the Tangatanga camp went underground to save face with Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa taking a sabbatical leave from active politics “to concentrate on matters development in his constituency”. The fate of Sirisia MP John Waluke is yet to be known but sources say all is not well in the Tangatanga camp where most of the MPs from Western region are contemplating on their next political moves. Other MPs who were behind squabbles in Ford-K are also said to have learned a bitter political lesson from the results of the by-election and are wary they are likely to lose their seats in the 2022 general elections.

Didmus Barasa

They include Wafula Wamunyinyi of Kanduyi and Eseli Simiyu of Tongareni. Lusweti and Bungoma woman rep Catherine Wambilianga were the only elected leaders from the county who stood with Wetangula during the attempted coup to remove him from the helm of Ford-K party. Wamunyinyi and Simiyu, among other Ford-K dissidents, have gone back to the drawing board since as things stand, a Ford-K ticket in the coming polls will come at a cost and whoever clinches it is deemed half way into Parliament. In Bungoma county, it is not only about parliamentary elections but also in all elective positions.

John Waluke

For now, the politicians know where the direction area politics has taken and as the clock ticks towards the 2022 general elections, an epic battle is shaping up in constituencies across the county. Various aspirants, among them newcomers and MCAs keen on upgrading their positions have lined up and already on the ground popularising their bids. In Kabuchai, Lusweti of Ford-Kenya was the first area MP and during the 2017 general elections, he beat Stephen Wafula of Maendeleo Democratic Party, Edward Tale an independent candidate, Moses Sudi of ODM, Kalasinga then in Jubilee, Chrispinus Juma of Chama Mwangaza Daima, and Rodgers Nalianya of ANC.

Wafula Wamunyinyi

Kabuchai seat byelection attracted seven candidates, namely Kalasinga (Ford Kenya), Amos Wekesa (Federal Party of Kenya), Kakai (UDA), Peter Kapanga (independent), Gasper Wafubwa (independent), David Kibiti (former Bungoma public administration CEC) and Scholastica Murunga (independent). Political analysts predicted a tight race pitting Majimbo and Kakai who enjoyed the backing of Ruto. Political intrigues, including clan politics, resource endowment, Building Bridges Initiative politics, party issues, personality and Luhya unity played a key role in determining the outcome of the poll.

Eseli Simiyu

The political analysts still point out that in the 2022 general elections, nothing much will have changed on the Kabuchai political scenario apart from various changes in MCA seats and that Kalasinga is likely to retain the seat should he play his cards well. In Kanduyi, Wamunyinyi is likely to be given a run for his money following the emerging narrative that he was used by outside forces to rock Ford-K from within as well as scuttle the elusive Luhya unity. Wamunyinyi entered parliament in 2002 on a National Rainbow Coalition ticket and served as MP for Kanduyi until 2007. After a five-year absence, he made a comeback following elections in 2013 when he clinched the Kanduyi parliamentary seat on a Ford-Kenya ticket, and retained it in 2017.

Catherine Wambilianga

Before venturing into politics, Wamunyinyi served in the Kenya Police Service between 1982 and 1986. He then joined the Kilimanjaro Safari Club Group of Companies as group personnel manager in 1987. Wamunyinyi has a BSc in Psychology from the University of Nairobi in addition to a certificate in Human Resource Management from the Kenya Institute of Management. He also holds a diploma in Human Resource Management from London Business School.

Moses Wetang’ula

In the 2017 general elections, Wamunyinyi won the seat with 33,208 votes beating John Makali of ODM with 23,277, Fredrick Wafula of ANC 9,984 and Chrispinus Wamalwa of Jubilee 1, 019. This time, we have veteran journalist Boniface Nyongesa who will be making a stab at the parliamentary seat in 2022. Nyongesa who contested for the senate race and lost to Wetangula in the last general elections, enjoys wide support in four wards of Bukembe West, Bukembe East, Sang’alo East and Sang’alo West. The four wards overwhelmingly supported his bid when he ran for the senate seat. Should Kanduyi constituency be split into two as proposed in the BBI bill, he will easily sail through if the four wards are to be hived off Kanduyi to form a constituency.

John Makali

Other aspirants for the seat like former county assembly speaker Makali will have to square off with Wamunyinyi in the remaining part of the constituency. Roads CEC Collins Mukhongo is also eyeing the seat. Nyongesa equally enjoys support from the various groups he established while at the helm of Sulwe FM radio station. He has managed to steer clear of divisive politics despite working as a public relations officer under Governor Wycliffe Wangamati. He is a silent mobiliser who reaches out to voters directly. In Bumula, Mwambu Mabonga, an independent, has an uphill task in the coming general elections for he is among MPs who were in the Tangatanga camp but has since gone silent.

Wafula Wangamati

In the 2017 general elections, Mwambu triumphed with 18,305 votes flooring eight other candidates in the hotly contested race where Bonface Otsiula of Jubilee and Nalson Wanami of Ford-K were his main challengers. Others were independents Martin Nyongesa, Constus Muchadi, Edward Wanjala, Wakoli Bifwoli (United Democratic Party), Augustine Kundu (ANC) and Patrick Wandabusi (ODM). Jack Wanami is a man to watch. In Webuye East, Alfred Sambu has been advised by medics to reduce movement. He has been in parliament since 2002. He is serving his fourth term. Sambu is the only ANC MP in Bungoma county. He emerged the winner with 11,532 votes and his main opponent Charles Wanjala of Jubilee who got 9,682 votes.

Mwambu Mabonga

Others were Job Wafula (independent), Peter Nyongesa (ODM), Alips Butinya (Ford-K), Daniel Simiyu of Labour Party of Kenya and Kingsly Mutali of United Democratic Party. Dan Wanyama of Jubilee won Webuye West seat flooring 15 candidates with 14,925 votes. Peter Juma of Ford-K got 8,288 votes. Others were independents Kane Barasa, Kelly Walubengo, Vitalis Juma, Charles Wafula, George Muniafu (People’s Empowerment Party), Martin Musungu (Labour Party of Kenya), Roselinder Simiyu (National Vision Party), John Musundi (ODM), Philip Simiyu (ANC), Kennedy Wanjala (United Democratic Party), John Wafula (Maendeleo Chap Chap), Oliver Wakoli (Wiper) and Maurice Wekesa (Kanu). In Kimilili, Barasa of Jubilee trounced 12 candidates with 19,510 votes. His close rival Suleiman Murunga of Ford-K got 12,457 votes.

Bifwoli Wakoli

Others were Chris Kikechi (United Democratic Party), Emmanuel Wasike (Narc-K), Edwin Wanyonyi (ANC), Martin Mwambu (People’s Empowerment Party), Gregory Nalianya (Kanu), Peter Wanyama (ODM), Richard Masinde (Federal Party of Kenya), independents Nicholas Simiyu, Everette Wasige and John Wanyonyi. In Tongaren, Eseli Simiyu of Ford-K emerged the winner with 33,879 votes followed by John Murumba Chikati of Jubilee with 20,591 votes. Others were independents Bernard Nakitare, Amos Ongoro, Lawrence Bifwoli (ODM), Elkana Nyongesa (Federal Party of Kenya) and Nixon Sifuna (ANC). In Mt Elgon constituency which is heavily inhabited by the Sabaot, Fred Kapondi of Jubilee won with 24,859 votes followed by John Serut, an independent candidate with 13,437 votes.

Fred Kapondi

Serut is a former area MP. Others were independents Ronald Chenimo, Faustine Naibei, Geondyson Ndiema, Harry Kachuwai, Peter Kibet (National Vision Party), John Mukhooli (Ford-K), Ben Naibei (ODM), Peter Kibet (United Democratic Party), Teresa Rotich (Chama Cha Mashinani), Patrick Sangok (People’s Party of Kenya), Isaac Simeno (Social Democratic Party of Kenya) and Richard Wafula of Federal Party of Kenya. Sabaot always vote alongside their Kalenjin brothers in the larger Rift Valley and the Luhyas living in the constituency do not influence the outcome of the elections.