By Alex Ndegwa and Martin Mutua

The opening up of the political space by the new Constitution spells trouble for the main parties that are struggling to quell internal unrest, even as they try to comply with the Political Parties Act 2011.

The Standard has established that power struggles, threats of mass walkouts, and blistering negative campaigns from opponents dominate the parties eight months to the General Election.

Rivalry between MPs and aspirants has intensified, particularly in new parties where are competing lobby groups fronting as campaign forums that are locked in a fierce battle for the control of campaign cash.

The disharmony and turf wars highlighted in the opening of parallel party offices and stage-managed heckling of opponents at rallies, completes the picture of parties in turmoil.

And aspirants for various positions in the General Election have been literally running to align themselves with presidential aspirants, a move that has seen them clash with MPs.

Nascent parties like The National Alliance, United Republican Party, and United Democratic Forum have to further contend with the challenges associated with new outfits struggling to create power bases with polls drawing closer.

The three emerging parties have been on roller coaster countrywide campaigns, to establish grassroots support, which is lacking as opposed to their opponent, ODM

But the Orange party is also scrambling to contain tension arising from the rivalry between chairman Henry Kosgey and Roads minister Franklin Bett. Both want to be Raila’s presidential running mates.

Competition among a host of lobby groups in ODM has also caused unease, especially the ODM Reloaded caravan that has angered some Nyanza MPs because they feel its champions are hogging too much limelight.

The friction was evident in the ODM Reloaded team’s campaigns in Kisii and South Nyanza, with the MPs opposed to their colleagues taking centre stage.

The unflattering disclosures in the memoirs, Peeling Back the Mask, by Miguna Miguna, a former aide to Prime Minister Raila Odinga, are the latest headache to the Orange party.

Raila’s rivals, including Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi have capitalised on the unsavory comments to hit back at the PM.

Raila’s spokesman Denis Onyango has said the party will issue a comprehensive statement on Miguna Miguna’s claims soon.

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s The National Alliance (TNA) has faced a rebellion from leaders in other parties in central Kenya, prompting him to camp in the region, last week.  The scramble for TNA by aspirants intent on riding on his popularity to power, prompted Uhuru to say in rallies across the region that he has no preferred candidate.

“When the time for campaigns come, I will be asking for your vote (for the presidency) as Uhuru Kenyatta. The rest will come to you in their individual capacity. No one should come to you (voters) claiming that I’m supporting them,” Uhuru said at meetings where nearly all aspirants distributed materials that are emblazoned with their pictures and that of Uhuru.

Uhuru told those wishing to vie for political positions to desist from using his name, and to solicit for votes as individuals. The move is aimed at forestalling party conflicts and to forestall the notion that there are certain people the DPM favours.

Kieni MP Nemesyus Warugongo has protested that some aspirants are opening fake TNA offices to hoodwink supporters.

Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi has to contend with political opponents in western Kenya who have ganged up against him, and branded UDF a State project.

Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa and his Trade counterpart Moses Wetangula have closed ranks to fight Mudavadi’s UDF.

On the other hand, Mudavadi has received support from New Ford- Kenya party leader Soita Shitanda, and MP Bonny Khalwale.

The move is the genesis of the problems between Shitanda and Wamalwa, as the Justice Minister had initially been fronted as the New Ford- Kenya presidential aspirant before Mudavadi showed up.

On Thursday, Mudavadi returned to the Mt Kenya region hot on the heels of Uhuru’s whirlwind tour.

Eldoret North MP William Ruto has had to fight fires ignited by fierce power struggles in URP. The feud between MPs Charles Keter and Isaac Rutto over control of the party has publicly played out, prompting his intervention.

some disquiet

Lately, some MPs have complained that Ruto is working with some aspirants to undermine them. The intra-party squabbles are a distraction to URP’s efforts to counter ODM’s fresh foray into the Rift Valley, buoyed by the return of Kosgey.

Kalonzo is on a weeklong tour to consolidate his grip on Ukambani, where sideshows fueled by intra-party intrigues have been on display.

Two MPs have been accused of hiring hecklers to interrupt speakers at Wiper rallies.

Some speakers were forced to cut short their speeches in Machakos. Curiously in the same area at one point Kalonzo’s intervention was required to reconcile warring factions that had opened parallel offices.

There has also been some disquiet among party members who are questioning why Kalonzo retains Information Minister Samuel Poghisio in the Cabinet even after he defected to Ruto’s URP.

Poghisio has been, and still is, the Wiper chairman, but has never attended any of its meetings with his deputy Defence Minister David Musila taking up the role.

Poghisio has declared support for Ruto, and has shirked party retreats and strategy meetings, although he continues to hold a Cabinet position at the pleasure of Wiper.

“Kalonzo is doing a great disservice to the Wiper party by keeping Poghisio, yet he is not in our party.  There are many members who can occupy that position and his stay is not good for us,” an MP in the party who preferred anonymity told The Standard  on Thursday.

 

The legislator said since Kalonzo had declared “the hard talk” he should first replace Poghisio then his supporters would take him seriously.

On the other hand, the VP has stepped up his supremacy battle with Water minister Charity Ngilu, winning over Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo, and former minister Francis Nyenze.

Kilonzo and Mutitu MP Kiema Kilonzo had prior to the 2007 elections been among Kalonzo’s trusted allies, who supported and defended the VP in and out of Parliament.

But with the naming of the Cabinet in which Kalonzo left them out, they rebelled against him.