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Kenya: ‘Handshake’ Politics Trigger Shifting Alliances in Kajiado County

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4 years ago

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Months to the 2022 General Election, the ongoing battle for voters’ hearts and minds has ushered in a new season of political alignments and realignments.

And in Kajiado County, the recent dalliance of erstwhile rivals Jubilee Party and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has introduced new dynamics in political relationships, with friends embracing foes and others breaking away from old partnerships to forge new ones.

In line with the Azimio La Umoja initiative spearheaded by President Kenyatta (Jubilee) and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga (ODM), their respective party members are holding joint political meetings and endorsing candidates perceived to back the “Handshake” pact.

The Jubilee-ODM camp has left no doubt that it will be supporting the re-election of Governor Joseph ole Lenku, a scenario that has made other gubernatorial hopefuls seeking the “Handshake” ticket jittery.

Parliamentary and ward aspirants are jostling for space in the “Handshake” camp, while others have found a home in Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Kajiado East MP Peris Tobiko, upset by the endorsement of Mr Lenku, ditched Jubilee for UDA last month. And ODM has witnessed a whirlwind of movement to the party recently.

In Kajiado West, the parliamentary frontrunners are Mr Joseph Ole Simel (ODM) and Mr Moses Konana (Jubilee), while in Kajiado South, Mr Sakimpa Parashina, Mr Daniel Nina Livondo,Mr John Parit and Mr Shadrack Saibulu Wenger are all battling for the “Handshake” coalition ticket.

In Kajiado Central, Lenku die-hards Moses Birisha and Christopher Koisikir are in contention, while the governor’s personal assistant, Mr Daniel Kanchori, is seeking the ODM ticket to challenge Mr Kakuta Maimai and Mr Wilson Kisemei. Nominated Senator Mary Seneta will be seeking the Kajiado East parliamentary seat on an UDA ticket.

Former Senator Peter Mositet will challenge Mr Alfayo Otuke and Dr Solomon Kinyanjui for the “Handshake” ticket in the Kajiado North parliamentary race.

“We’re not only laying the groundwork for [Mr] Odinga to ascend to power, but also ensuring that he has enough grassroots support [to govern]. We will ensure that there are no fallouts in our camp after the party primaries,” Peter Mositet, Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority Board Chairman said.

To boost his chances of clinching the Jubilee-ODM ticket for a fresh gubernatorial run, former Governor David Nkedienye has lured his erstwhile nemesis, Kajiado North MP Joseph Manje, to his camp in a deal that would see the lawmaker become his running mate in 2022.