By Otuma Ongalo
Saboti MP Eugene Ludovic Wamalwa wants to be the President of Kenya and he has a very good reason — his brother was once promised the job. His dream has been emboldened by the fact that none other than the President’s son has "anointed" him.
The dishonoured, discredited and discarded Memorandum of Understanding between Kibaki and his 2002 allies is the tie that binds Eugene’s ambition.
It is with this hope and attendant illusions that come January 31, in Bungoma, Eugene will be announcing his own grand march to State House. I do not begrudge the young politician’s stubborn hope but it will be a sad day for the nation and democracy if he marches anywhere near State House by merely clinging on his brother’s shadow.
The much-touted MoU, if it existed at all, was between Kibaki and political bedfellows at that time. It was neither a national accord nor between the Kibakis and Wamalwas. It was for the 2002 presidency, not 2012. It was not tailor made for Wamalwa but Ford-Kenya, where Eugene is a Johnny-come-lately, if not a PNU man.
Eugene stands a better chance of making a mark in politics if he fights his own political battles without invoking Wamalwa’s name. In Kamukuywa, where Wamalwa was born, there is a common saying: Wandayo asala, wesi osala. Literally, it means when your brother sires, you too should sire.
It warns against dependence on a more endowed member of the family. Eugene too should sire, politically, instead of yearning to inherit Wamalwa’s political fortunes and orphans.
Simply put, Eugene is not Wamalwa apart from physical resemblance and the big brother’s mannerisms, eloquence and accent he strives to emulate.
Kenyans do not owe him anything on the account of Wamalwa’s legacy. Even the Saboti residents were not so magnanimous to hand him his brother’s seat on a silver platter when he passed on. They rejected him during Narc nominations and eventually handed the seat to the little known Davies Nakitare in the by-election. Eugene wandered in political wilderness in the equally little known Republican Party of Kenya and it took the PNU wave for him to enter Parliament in 2007 General Election. The clearest indication that he was destined to inherit Wamalwa’s political mantle would have been capturing the seat upon his brother’s demise.
The less Eugene leaves Wamalwa to rest in peace the more he will emerge an independent and visionary leader. To his credit, despite some western Kenya politicians’ discomfort, he has been reaching out to other parts of the country to bolster his ambition. That is one of the few semblances of a politician destined for national leadership but he should be wary of the political company he keeps.
The jewel in the crown of his dream is the alleged endorsement by Jimmy Kibaki. Could this be the magic wand that will usher him to State House?
I highly doubt. Due to the political horse-trading theory that Eugene apparently subscribes to, the new link may be easily interpreted as a scheme to position another Kibaki for State House and the mood for that is not fine right now.
—The writer is The Standard Senior Editor, Production and Quality
oongalo@standardmedia.co.ke
