By PETER OPIYO and EDWIN CHESEREK

Support is growing within the Orange Democratic Movement for Henry Kosgey to take over as deputy party leader following the exit of Sabatia MP Musalia Mudavadi.

Lending credence to the reports of an upswing in the Tinderet MP’s fortunes was his presence at the Registrar of Political Parties’ offices last week when ODM officials received the party’s certificate.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga (second left) after the Florida A&M University, US, honoured him with a degree, last week. [PHOTO: pmps/STANDARD]

Those touting Kosgey for better things claim he still has plenty of goodwill among the Kalenjin, including North Rift that forms the bedrock of support for Eldoret North MP William Ruto.

There was bubbly excitement among Kosgey’s supporters in the region as word went round that he is tipped for good things in the Orange party that stood by him during his ordeal at the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague.

Kosgey has not spoken about the latest overtures in ODM, but he told The Standard that he has real and extensive support in the North Rift. "There are many leaders who are solidly behind me," said Kosgey.

Recently, Kosgey was absent at an ODM delegates meeting attended by Raila at a hotel in Eldoret, where the PM was received by Higher Education minister Margaret Kamar (Eldoret East), Agriculture minister Dr Sally Kosgei (Aldai) (Agriculture), East African Community minister Musa Sirma (nominated) and Lands minister James Orengo (Ugenya) among others.

Addressing the meeting, Dr Kosgei insisted ODM remains strong and has support in the North Rift region. But political leaders in the region dismissed the claims.

"It is clear that one could better sell any other party to residents of Rift Valley province than ODM. The region will not be swayed from URP (United Republican Party)," said Michael Rono, the Mayor of Eldoret.

URP is bitter Raila rival for the presidency Ruto’s party of choice, Kosgey, who is ODM chairman, received the party’s certificate of registration from the Registrar of Political parties, Lucy Ndung’u before cameras last week, after Mudavadi who is also Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Government dumped the party.

Symbolic act

Mudavadi will announce his new political house on Wednesday, but rumors within his circle say it is likely to be United Democratic Front linked Abdikadir Mohamed, chairman of Parliament’s Committe on Implementation of the Constitution (CIOC).

The other is Charity Ngilu’s Narc Kenya. However, if Mudavadi does opt for Narc, it would imply that Ngilu has abandoned her "special relationship" with ODM. Sources within the Orange party say Kosgey’s picking of the certificate was a symbolic act by the chairman and former minister to show he is back in the game.

Kosgey had taken a low profile in the murky waters of politics after the ICC named him as a suspect over the 2008 post-election violence. He was later cleared by the court, alongside former police commissioner Maj-Gen Hussein Ali.

In the North Rift, grassroots leaders are now calling on ODM to appoint Kosgey deputy party leader immediately after Mudavadi announces his new party on Wednesday.

Leaders from the region have vouched to marshal support for Kosgey in the event he is granted the position that has proved a headache to the party.

"We are the ones who told him to support one presidential candidate and particularly Raila," said Nandi councillor Mr Kiplimo Lagat. Lagat said Kosgey was where they wanted him to be and would thus support him.

"We prompted him to declare interest in the position because we are ready to campaign for him day and night in the Rift Valley," he added.

Nandi County ODM chairperson Jacob Keino said the least they expect for Kosgey is the deputy party position. "Kosgey outrightly deserves the seat owing to his vast wealth of experience in leadership," Keino stated.

Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation (MYWO) Nandi Central District leader Sarah Koskei said Kosgey was capable since he was not just a senior member of the party, but had also been loyal even through hard moments.

"We are willing to support any presidential candidate, but if Kosgey gets that position the better. We will be happy as the Nandi community and rally support behind him," Koskei added. Ms Irene Magut, the Nandi County ODM women’s representative, echoed Koskei’s sentiments, saying the move to pick the former Industrialisation minister as a running mate is in order.

She said the Kalenjin are divided on the presidential candidate to support, pointing out that ODM should take advantage and seize the opportunity. "I think ODM must seize the opportunity to counter URP which is gaining a lot influence on the ground," said Magut. She admitted that ODM support in the region is waning because the party lacks active regional representatives.

She said she believes party supporters in the region would be more endeared to the party if they believed they have a stake in its future.

Marakwet ODM councilors led by Stephen Kapchila and Johnstone Kasenge have confidence that Kosgey will win votes for ODM because of his seniority as a Kalenjin elder.

Kapchila said the party has not lost ground as alleged by its detractors, adding that proper mechanisms should be put in place to counter URP wave. "The Kalenjin community want to be in the next government and now believe that having Kosgey as Raila’s running mate is a shortcut," said the Koibirir councillor.

Kasenge said ODM is the party to beat in the next elections, pointing out that the battle will be fought on a platform of integrity and accountability. "We have advantage over other parties because they are tribal outfits which are against the national cohesion in the new dispensation [Constitution],"argued Kasenge.

A political analyst Prof Macharia Munene argued that the formula might make the PM gain some lost ground amongst the Kalenjins, especially after the region’s leading light and Eldoret North MP, William Ruto bolted out of the Orange party.

He, however, warns that Kosgey’s influence may only be limited to his Tinderet constituency. "I don’t think it would be a formidable force," said Prof Munene, who teaches at the United States International University-Africa.

Mudavadi fell out with ODM over party nomination rules that give the party leader the automatic presidential ticket and dumped the party that brought him to Parliament despite a promise by officials that the clause would be amended.

National outlook

Mr Adams Oloo, a well-known political analyst and lecturer at the University of Nairobi argues that Mr Kosgey would be used to send the message that the party still has a presence in Kalenjin land.

His sentiment is shared by political and governance analyst, Janet Muthoni-Ouko who says the move is a strategy to popularise the party and give it a national outlook.

"I think the PM is looking for somebody who is reliable and to give the party a national face. It is also a message that all is not lost in ODM," says Muthoni-Ouko.

— Additional reporting by Titus Too