Clannism overtakes development in the Narok race

By Kipchumba Kemei

NAROK, KENYA: Like in the old constitutional dispensation, the election of the first governor of the sleepy but resourceful Narok County could be dominated by clan politics, with development agenda taking a back seat.

The new aspect that might come up in the governor race, and which might be secondary, is the party politics. The dominant parties in the county are URP, ODM and TNA. However, the latter is only popular in towns and trading centres.

In the past two months, ODM party leader and Premier Raila Odinga visited the county eight times while William Ruto of URP has been here more than 10 times. This points to a big battle between the two parties ahead of the polls. It also illustrates how important the region will be in the battle for numbers in the March 4 General Election.

The county is home to six Maasai clans: Purko, Keekonyokie, Ildamat, Uasin-Gishu, Siria and Moitanik. Purko is the dominant clan, which has continued to produce prominent leaders like the self-proclaimed community spokesperson and Heritage minister William ole Ntimama. Other major tribes in the county and whose votes cannot be ignored are the Kikuyu, Kipsigis, Kisii, Luhya and Luo.

Third richest county

Jostling for these communities’ votes is in top gear. Ntimama, who has had bad political relations with the Kikuyus, is seen to have already mended fences with the community.

However, political analysts say it is evident that no matter how focused a candidate might be, if he does not come from a populous clan, he might not be easily elected.

Eight candidates are seeking election to be Narok’s first governor.

Despite being the third richest county after Nairobi and Mombasa, Narok, with most of its resources untapped, still lags behind in development with majority of its residents living in abject poverty and dying of curable diseases. Hospitals and health facilities are few and inaccessible because of the poor roads.

Conservation agenda, especially the rehabilitation of the Mau Forest, is likely to take a back seat, too. Narok is the biggest producer of charcoal in Kenya with the Kenya Wildlife Service estimating that it produces about five million bags annually.

County economics

The county, which is home of the famed Masai Mara Game Reserve that collects Sh7.8 billion in revenue annually, suffers from poor roads and general infrastructure and therein lies the danger that if residents elect a governor based on clannism at the expense of development record, they will continue to suffer from underdevelopment for many more years.

Narok also has huge gold and mica deposits, which remain untapped. Currently gold, albeit in small quantities, is being mined at Lolgorian area in Trans Mara while prospecting for mica at Narosura has not begun.

“The first governor will be in charge of about Sh7 billion from tourism, agriculture and livestock. There will also be money from the central government. If residents of Narok will be driven by the deep-seated clan rivalry, instead of development record of candidates, in electing the governor, they will have themselves to blame when their county resources are mismanaged,” says Evelyn Wastabei, who has positioned himself for the deputy governor’s seat in the region.

Wastabei, who unsuccessfully contested the Narok South parliamentary seat, says residents should look beyond clans and communities and vote in a proven manager.

Those interested in the seat include retired teacher Francis Nkoitoi (ODM), former Kenya Power ICT manager Johnson Nchoe (ODM), former NSSF manager Joseph Tiampati (KNC), and a US scholar Ledama Kina (independent). Others are a former Narok County Council Maasai Mara Senior Warden Michael Koikai (TNA), a former National Security Intelligence Service officer Samuel Kuntai (URP), Dalton Konchellah (URP) and renowned hotelier Talen’go Kiptunen (independent).

Power in numbers

Nkoitoi, Nchoe, Koikai and Tiampati are from the Purko clan, Ledama (Ildamat), Kuntai (Siria) while Taleng’o and Konchellah are from Uasin-Gishu.

Purko has its people in Narok North, East, South and some parts of the larger Trans Mara district.

The Ildamat and Keekonyokie live in Narok East while Siria, Moitanik and Uasin-Gishu are found in the larger Trans Mara district. The Kipsigis inhabit Narok North and South, the newly created Emurua Dikirr constituency and Kilgoris.

It is believed if the Kipsigis — with more than 135,000 registered voters — decide to vote as a bloc, they would easily hand a candidate a win.

Ntimama has already endorsed Nchoe, describing him as focussed and development-minded.

The endorsement has elicited mixed reactions in and out of the Heritage minister’s political camp.

“We respect Ntimama as an elder but he cannot tell us who to vote for. It is up to the voters to decide who will their governor be. The endorsement has made Nchoe, who we also respect, unpopular because people fear, if elected, will serve the interests of the minister,” says Sammy Nkoitoi, a conservationist.

Sticky land issues

“Nchoe has the experience and education to harness the Narok resources and develop this sleeping giant (Narok County),” Ntimama, who graced Nchoe’s declaration for the seat at Narok Stadium two months ago told The Standard.

Away from the clan and party politics, the emotive land issue will also be a major campaign tool. Many residents still live in group ranches. This has retained the window for grabbing wide open.

“There is no doubt land will be an issue during the election period,” says Kiptunen, promising to address this, if elected. But, in the meantime, urges Ministry of Lands to hasten sub-division of the ranches for individual ownership to avoid conflicts.

Nkoitoi blames poor leadership for dismally academic performance of the county. “Education has been consigned to the back burner. Instead leaders have been forcing children to drop out of school to practice moranism,” he says, promising to turn around the sector fortunes.

Old versus new eras

Narok Professionals Association chairman Jackson Saika urges residents to break with the past and vote for focused leadership without intimidation and coercion.

“It’s sad people of Narok have continued to live in poverty yet billions of shillings accrued from tourism was being misappropriated. The pathetic state of roads to and from Mara and that residents die of curable diseases point to poor leadership,” he says.

Tiampati says he is confident Narok voters will break with the past in the March elections. He exudes optimism they will vote for individuals with impressive leadership qualities regardless of their parties or clans. “The notion that candidates in big parties will be voted for is misplaced. People will vote for individual track records and what they stand for.”

Shadrack Rotiken, a former Narok County Council chairman asked Ntimama not to influence voters to vote for his preferred candidate.

“The era of political manipulation is over. People should reject ‘projects’ and vote for good managers,” Mr Rotiken said.