Battle of families as Konchellahs, Sunkulis and Ntutus seek power

Former Internal Security Minister Julius Sunkuli and Kilgoris MP Gideon Konchellah at Kilgoris Boys High School.The two will be facing off for the seat come 2017. [PHOTO:ROBERT KIPLAGAT/Standard].

As Kenya gears for what promises to be high stakes elections, three prominent political families in Narok will be jostling for power.

The 2017 General Election is already billed as a battle of titans in the county, as the Sunkuli, Konchellah and Ntutu families field candidates against each other in National Assembly and Senate seats.

Already, former powerful Internal Security Minister Julius Sunkuli has expressed interest in unseating current MP Gideon Konchellah.

Julius, who also served as Kenya’s Ambassador to China, is making a come back after being in political cold for 15 years.

His brother Andrew Leteipa Sunkuli, a Nairobi-based businessman and chairman of the Mara Education Trust, has declared interest in the county’s senatorial seat. Andrew is likely to battle it out for the seat with John Konchellah, a former East Afican Community PS.

Incumbent Senator Stephen ole Ntutu, himself a member of another prominent family, has announced his retirement from politics. But his brother and current Narok West MP Patrick Ntutu has declared interest in unseating Governor Samuel Tunai.

Ntutu said he was resigning to boost his brother’s chances of clinching the governor’s seat. “I will not run for the Senate seat again. I will give my younger brother the chance to contest the governor’s seat. I have done a lot for my people from the time I was MP for Narok South constituency until now,” said the senator recently.

Unlike in the 2013 polls, the Sunkuli’s will not be fighting against each other. Then, both Andrew and Julius took on each other in the race for the senate seat.

Andrew vied for the senate seat as an independent candidate and came second after Ntutu, beating his brother Julius to third. Julius flew the TNA flag in the 2013 polls.

Although the two Sunkuli brothers are presenting a united front in their pursuit of elective seats, they are allied to different governor hopefuls.

Julius, like John Konchellah, supports Patrick Ntutu. Andrew and Gideon are rooting for Governor Tunai ahead of the JP nominations. Julius is hoping to secure the newly formed Jubilee Party (JP) and will be pitted against Gideon from as early as the nominations stage. Andrew is yet to name his party of choice.

Recently, Julius and Gideon clashed at a fundraiser in Kilgoris over breach of protocol.

Julius was incensed that Gideon, who was the master of ceremony, had not addressed him by his proper title of ‘mheshimiwa’.

“You (Gideon) should follow protocol. I have served as MP here for a long time and I was there before you. I should be recognised as honourable,” said Julius amid laughter from the crowd.

“We want a change of guard in Kilgoris. I follow your orders as MP now and soon when I defeat you, you will also follow mine.”

Apologising to the former minister, Gideon asked him to let him hold the seat until 2022.

“I apologise if I went wrong when introducing you. I know you were a serious man as Internal Security minister. I, however, ask you to leave this seat for me for the next one term and I will support you after 2022,” he said.

Kilgoris constituency, which in 2013 had 50,903 registered voters, is inhabited by three clans: the Purko, Moitanik, Uasin Gishu and Siria. It is also home to a sizeable population of the Kipsigis.

The Ntutu’s are from the populous Purko clan. The Konchellah’s are from the Uasin Gishu clan while the Sunkulis’ belong to Moitanik.

Governor Tunai of Siria clan also hails from this constituency.