Wamalwa walking his brother’s talk

By Robert Wanyonyi

One year after reclaiming his brother’s seat, Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa has tough political decisions to make in Ford-Kenya.

Despite the heavy undercurrents in the party, Wamalwa has chosen to play his cards carefully and is keen on taking up after his brother — former Vice President Wamalwa Kijana.

Foreign Affairs Minister and Sirisia MP Moses Wetang’ula, Lands Assistant Minister Bifwoli Wakoli and Ford Kenya’s chairman and PNU nominated MP Musikari Kombo have openly declared their interest in running for presidency on the party’s ticket.

So intense has been the lobbying that when Wamalwa was part of Wetang’ula’s delegation to the US during Obama’s inauguration, he was deemed to have joined Wetang’ula camp.

Even though his close aides dispute the allegation, he is perceived to be warming up to Wetang’ula.

All this not withstanding, Wamalwa, who is Ford-Kenya’s legal affairs secretary, has hinted a desire to reclaim all the hats his late brother wore at the peak of his political career.

"Let’s not make a lot of politics over the Ford-Kenya leadership. Everyone must understand that Kombo is the national chairman and as the party’s legal adviser, I will advise all those talking about party leadership to wait until 2010 when Kombo’s term expires. Some of us may also talk at that time!" Wamalwa told the Standard on Sunday recently.

Relief Food

And it is not just the party’s leadership Wamalwa is concerned about.

The elder Wamalwa had initiated several projects. One such project was donating relief food to flood-prone Budalang’i residents , a project that Eugene has taken over.

In December, he donated two lorry-loads of relief maize. During the same week, the Saboti MP visited the home of Moses Alusiola in Lurambi in Kakamega District. The young man was shot dead when chaos erupted in Kakamega town during a visit by former President Moi, in 2002, to campaign for Uhuru Kenyatta’s Presidential bid. The former VP had promised to assist Alusiola’s family. Observers point out the young Wamalwa is seeking to close the vacuum left by his brother’s death by casting his nets far and wide.

"He has not confined himself to Ford-Kenya alone. Many people still remember the suspicion that followed a visit by Prime-Minister Raila Odinga to attend the late VP’s sixth death anniversary in Kitale last year.

"They thought he was considering shifting to ODM but that was just an indicator that Wamalwa wants to builds alliances across the political divide," adds Musungu.